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Last post 5 years ago by HuckFinn. 43 replies replies.
Mueller’s warning: ‘Many’ news stories on Trump-Russia probe are wrong
Mrs. dpnewell Offline
#1 Posted:
Joined: 08-23-2014
Posts: 1,373
Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s office is warning that “many” news articles on the Trump-Russia probe have been wrong.
The statement from a spokesperson did not single out particular stories. But the warning did come after media inquiries about a McClatchy News story on Friday that said Mr. Mueller has evidence that President Trump’s personal attorney, Michael Cohen, did in fact travel to Prague in 2016 as alleged by the Christopher Steele dossier.

“What I have been telling all reporters is that many stories about our investigation have been inaccurate,” the Mueller spokesperson said. “Be very cautious about any source that claims to have knowledge about our investigation and dig deep into what they claim before reporting on it. If another outlet reports something, don’t run with it unless you have your own sourcing to back it up.”

The statement was reported by the Daily Caller and confirmed by The Washington Times.
The McClatchy story on Friday lit up liberal media outlets since, if true, it would confirm a major charge by the British ex-spy. Mr. Steele wrote that Mr. Cohen traveled secretly to Prague in August 2016 to meet Vladimir Putin aides to conspire to cover up Russian hacking of Democratic Party computers. In other words: Trump-Russia collusion.
There has been no official or press confirmation of Mr. Steele’s Prague allegation nor of a number of other Steele collusion charges. His work was financed by the Democratic National Committee and the Hillary Clinton campaign.

For his part, Mr. Cohen has repeatedly denied under oath, and thus under the penalty of perjury, that he traveled to Prague. If he did in fact go there, he would be unlikely to lie under oath to Congress since the FBI’s investigative powers would be able to track his movements.

After the McClatchy story, Mr. Cohen tweeted on Saturday, “Bad reporting, bad information and bad story by same reporter Peter Stone @McClatchyDC. No matter how many times or ways they write it, I have never been to Prague. I was in LA with my son. Proven!”

Mr. Cohen has provided trip records to reporters to show he was in California for a time in August 2016 when Mr. Steele says the visit happened. Mr. Cohen has also displayed his passport.

There have been no independent media reports that Mr. Mueller acquired Prague trip evidence outside of the dossier itself and an interview his people conducted with Mr. Steele.

Another factor that weighs against the Prague trip is that the special counsel has not asked Mr. Cohen to produce a wide array of documents, according to a U.S. government filing on Friday.

The filing relates to a matter apparently unrelated to Trump-Russia: the FBI raided Mr. Cohen’s office and home on April 9 to search for evidence that he committed crimes in his business dealings.

The filing states that Mr. Mueller made a “narrow” request for documents in his Russia probe and that Mr. Cohen had not yet complied.

It would seem that if Mr. Mueller obtained real evidence of a Prague trip he would have subpoenaed Mr. Cohen’s communications during the August 2016 time frame.

The supposed Cohen Prague trip has been pushed to reporters and government investigators by Glenn Simpson, co-founder of Fusion GPS, which paid Mr. Steele. Fusion has long-standing relationships with Washington’s powerful news outlets such as CNN, the Washington Post and the New York Times.

Mr. Simpson still believes Mr. Cohen went to Prague. He told the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence that Mr. Cohen may have traveled by yacht and a Russian’s plane.

Mr. Cohen has sued Fusion for libel.

The same McClatchy reporters in January authored another disputed story. It said the FBI is investigating whether millions of dollars in illegal Russian funds ended up in the National Rifle Associations’ political action committee (PAC). The NRA flatly denies this happened.

The story said the money was supposedly funneled by a Russian lawyer who is an NRA member and has ties to the Kremlin. The story strongly implied that the illegally happened by showing that the NRA raised far more money in 2016 than it did in the 2012 presidential race.

The Washington Times first reported on a detailed letter from the NRA to Congress. The letter said that an in-house examination showed that no foreign funds ended up in campaign donation fund.
There has been no independent press report to confirm the McClatchy story.

Mr. Simpson is also pushing the NRA-Russia narrative, telling the House committee that the Kremlin has “infiltrated” the gun rights group.

The McClatchy sources for both the Cohen and NRA stories are vaguely described as people familiar with the matter.

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/apr/16/robert-mueller-many-news-stories-trump-russia-prob/

__________________________________________________________________________________

So Mueller's own team is stating that many of these "un-named source" stories which the left have been salivating over are "fake news". Shocking, I tell you. Simply Shocking.

David (dpnewell)
ZRX1200 Offline
#2 Posted:
Joined: 07-08-2007
Posts: 60,477
He's a narcissistic angry man trying to make a buck. God bless America and the hole he's digging.

Releasing this WHILE the investigation is ONGOING is not smart on his part.
frankj1 Offline
#3 Posted:
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,211
Speculation has been rampant on both sides of the aisle from jump street.

I don't personally know any salivators, but I figure not much is known for certain outside the offices of the investigators.

We'll all get the results at the same time.
frankj1 Offline
#4 Posted:
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,211
ZRX1200 wrote:
He's a narcissistic angry man trying to make a buck. God bless America and the hole he's digging.

Releasing this WHILE the investigation is ONGOING is not smart on his part.

who?
jjanecka Offline
#5 Posted:
Joined: 12-08-2015
Posts: 4,334
Seriously what is the Democrat fixation on Russia? We are in control of Afghanistan and Syria, there's a blockade on Iran, we can shut down access from the baltic and back seas in a minute's notice, and there's no longer a buffer between Europe and Russia. They can pretty well be reduced to a 3rd world country overnight.

To me it just seems like we're bullying a weak nation but maybe I'm wrong.
banderl Offline
#6 Posted:
Joined: 09-09-2008
Posts: 10,153
ZRX1200 wrote:

Releasing this WHILE the investigation is ONGOING is not smart on his part.



Don't worry, he didn't release anything.
banderl Offline
#7 Posted:
Joined: 09-09-2008
Posts: 10,153
jjanecka wrote:
Seriously what is the Democrat fixation on Russia? We are in control of Afghanistan and Syria, there's a blockade on Iran, we can shut down access from the baltic and back seas in a minute's notice, and there's no longer a buffer between Europe and Russia. They can pretty well be reduced to a 3rd world country overnight.

To me it just seems like we're bullying a weak nation but maybe I'm wrong.



Did anybody tell the Ruskies that we are in control of Syria?
MACS Offline
#8 Posted:
Joined: 02-26-2004
Posts: 79,599
Trump is Putin's puppet... Putin and Russia got him elected... and yet we bombed the snot out of Syria's chemical weapons plants. Well, sh*t... that's weird for a president who was supposedly elected by Russia... who supports Assad.

Democrats? Care to explain why you claim we were duped by Russian bots, but we're supposedly on the verge of war with the same regime you claim helped get the sitting president elected?

I'd love to hear this explanation.
delta1 Offline
#9 Posted:
Joined: 11-23-2011
Posts: 28,754
Trump said all along that Syria's use of chemical weapons is a red line...he told the Russians what he was going to do, to avoid any damage to Russian interests and to let them get their people out of harm's way, without calling out the Russians for allowing Syrian production of chemical weapons, after they agreed to do so when they moved into the country...

I'd like to know why did the same President just decide to pull back on sanctions against Russia (again) for interfering in our elections, sanctions that 99% of Congress approved and directed the President to impose...

As for the Mueller investigation, we should all sit back, shut our traps, and let it conclude.

As for the separate Cohen investigation, we should all let that proceed without speculation as well, and if there's evidence to support any criminal prosecution, let justice be done.
Cathcam13 Offline
#10 Posted:
Joined: 01-11-2018
Posts: 1,264
Sounds like a big bunch of Pipe Dreams to me. I will believe something when real hard facts are dropped into the American people’s laps. Until then, just a bunch of unfounded hogwash.
Cathcam13 Offline
#11 Posted:
Joined: 01-11-2018
Posts: 1,264
But then again, I say that about most of the things I hear these days. Hearsay is never evidence. Unless someone tapes the hearsay and uses it for a libel case.
jjanecka Offline
#12 Posted:
Joined: 12-08-2015
Posts: 4,334
In either case Russia is ranked what like 10th in terms of GDP and yet still worse in terms of actual buying power. They're hardly a threat to the US considering that their economy is at least five times smaller.

Putin rambles on about how it's up to Russia to "keep the balance of power" against the US but it's unlikely that he's a real contender at this point.

The only thing he has, no different than in the past, that could possibly "balance" the scales would be nuclear warheads; even then, with the missle base in Romania we're in striking distance of Moscow and Terahn so at this point we're in complete control. Putin is in lock step with the US agenda now because he doesn't want a war. Tactically there's nothing he can do but lose the entire country.
Mrs. dpnewell Offline
#13 Posted:
Joined: 08-23-2014
Posts: 1,373
frankj1 wrote:
Speculation has been rampant on both sides of the aisle from jump street.

I don't personally know any salivators, but I figure not much is known for certain outside the offices of the investigators.

We'll all get the results at the same time.


You don't get out much, do you Frank? Visit AOL's, WP's, Huff Post's, etc. discussion boards after one of these fantasy "un-named source" stories is reported as factual news, and you can watch hundreds if not thousands of progs and "never Trumpers" simultaneously orgasm. Extremely entertaining.

David (dpnewell)
Speyside Offline
#14 Posted:
Joined: 03-16-2015
Posts: 13,106
Dave, I would have to say I see much the same as Frank. Though most of my crowd is independent. All we want is the truth. Our hope is president Trump is guilty of nothing, even if we have very different points of view than he does.

Personally I am disgusted by all the innuendo. Let the process be silent, fair, and complete. Finally, let's all remember innocent untill proven guilty, though I loathe saying that. President Trump has been charged with nothing to date.
jjanecka Offline
#15 Posted:
Joined: 12-08-2015
Posts: 4,334
Why would you loathe that saying? Suppose you were randomly accused of something and you turned out in the clear.

Here's the screwed up part. Once your scandal has been plastered all over the newspaper you still have to live with it even if you're proven innocent. This is a problem with journalism. They should only be allowed to report a case/charge after the verdict has been delivered.
frankj1 Offline
#16 Posted:
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,211
Mrs. dpnewell wrote:
You don't get out much, do you Frank? Visit AOL's, WP's, Huff Post's, etc. discussion boards after one of these fantasy "un-named source" stories is reported as factual news, and you can watch hundreds if not thousands of progs and "never Trumpers" simultaneously orgasm. Extremely entertaining.

David (dpnewell)

honestly, I don't visit any lib sites, I have my opinions which admittedly (not all) at least favor left thoughts.

But this site is 98.2% right wing and sometimes I see spittle on the inside of the screen on my laptop.

Different sides of the aisle still behave in remarkably similar ways...
jjanecka Offline
#17 Posted:
Joined: 12-08-2015
Posts: 4,334
Democrat...
HuckFinn Offline
#18 Posted:
Joined: 07-10-2017
Posts: 2,044
There is evidence proving that Donald needs to be cautious regarding Russia because he has borrowed 100s of millions from Russian oligarchs for decades. Something that also explains his refusal to release his personal taxes.

This article should appeal to folks on both sides.
This Russian expert says he doesn't think Putin has some sort of global anti democracy plan at all. That Donald has no real political ideology. And the elections weren't as swayed by Russian hackers as people think.

It's just about money.

I know I'm a little off-topic but...thought it was valid perspective and not entirely unrelated.

https://www.vox.com/2017/7/18/15983910/donald-trump-russia-putin-fbi-collusion-fusion-gps
bgz Offline
#19 Posted:
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
So... fake news then?

There's fake news on both sides I tell ya, both sides...

That's what happens when you use bloggers and column writers as credible sources :)
victor809 Offline
#20 Posted:
Joined: 10-14-2011
Posts: 23,866
Did JJ just say that journalists should only be allowed to report a case/ charge after a verdict has been delivered?

That would have made the entirety of the Clinton "scandal" invisible... no more "lock her up" chants....
Phil222 Offline
#21 Posted:
Joined: 10-01-2017
Posts: 1,911
jjanecka wrote:
Seriously what is the Democrat fixation on Russia? We are in control of Afghanistan and Syria, there's a blockade on Iran, we can shut down access from the baltic and back seas in a minute's notice, and there's no longer a buffer between Europe and Russia. They can pretty well be reduced to a 3rd world country overnight.

To me it just seems like we're bullying a weak nation but maybe I'm wrong.


I agree with most of this. I wouldn't say Russia is weak, but they're definitely not on America's level. I think we spend something like 10 times more than they do on their military?? At risk of oversimplifying the situation, I think that Iran and Russia are the main reasons why we are messing around in Syria; not outrage over what's happening there.
Mrs. dpnewell Offline
#22 Posted:
Joined: 08-23-2014
Posts: 1,373
frankj1 wrote:
honestly, I don't visit any lib sites, I have my opinions which admittedly (not all) at least favor left thoughts.

But this site is 98.2% right wing and sometimes I see spittle on the inside of the screen on my laptop.

Different sides of the aisle still behave in remarkably similar ways...


Frank,
When Verizon bought AOL, they shut down their E-mail server and pushed our accounts onto AOL's site. Therefore I visit AOL several times a day, and out of curiosity, I visit the boards. I also on occasion visit the WP and some others. Again, mainly out of curiosity. Those visits make me extremely grateful for folks like you, Speyside and even Huck and Victor. Yes, we may not see eye to eye when it comes to politics, but there are more important things in life that can bond us in brotherhood. We are sometimes a little too passionate when it comes to our views, but at least we don't wish death, ill health, imprisonment or deportation on our political advisories, as has happened to myself and others on some boards.

Oh, and believe me, I've visited some right wind boards that are just as delusional.

David (dpnewell)
victor809 Offline
#23 Posted:
Joined: 10-14-2011
Posts: 23,866
I think we can all safely agree that the comments section of almost any news site is a den of insanity...
bgz Offline
#24 Posted:
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
Ya, I hardly ever RTFA, I just jump straight to the comments. More entertaining that way.
frankj1 Offline
#25 Posted:
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,211
Mrs. dpnewell wrote:
Frank,
When Verizon bought AOL, they shut down their E-mail server and pushed our accounts onto AOL's site. Therefore I visit AOL several times a day, and out of curiosity, I visit the boards. I also on occasion visit the WP and some others. Again, mainly out of curiosity. Those visits make me extremely grateful for folks like you, Speyside and even Huck and Victor. Yes, we may not see eye to eye when it comes to politics, but there are more important things in life that can bond us in brotherhood. We are sometimes a little too passionate when it comes to our views, but at least we don't wish death, ill health, imprisonment or deportation on our political advisories, as has happened to myself and others on some boards.

Oh, and believe me, I've visited some right wind boards that are just as delusional.

David (dpnewell)

you know, David, if you insist on being rational (politically incorrect but rational) we're never gonna be able to have a real fight.

Kidding aside, I appreciate the differences I have with most on this site and have no real desire to read totally insane drivel even if the source seems to be aligned with my way of thinking. It doesn't help at all.

Much to my surprise, a bunch of you guys have at least made me pause and reconsider some blindly accepted notions I arrived with, even got me to change my mind on some others, or at least be able to appreciate the reasons for some conservative views and even explain those views to others.

Yes, the quality of life and relationships are much better defined by nonpolitical experiences.
frankj1 Offline
#26 Posted:
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,211
HuckFinn wrote:
There is evidence proving that Donald needs to be cautious regarding Russia because he has borrowed 100s of millions from Russian oligarchs for decades. Something that also explains his refusal to release his personal taxes.

This article should appeal to folks on both sides.
This Russian expert says he doesn't think Putin has some sort of global anti democracy plan at all. That Donald has no real political ideology. And the elections weren't as swayed by Russian hackers as people think.

It's just about money.

I know I'm a little off-topic but...thought it was valid perspective and not entirely unrelated.

https://www.vox.com/2017/7/18/15983910/donald-trump-russia-putin-fbi-collusion-fusion-gps

so I've been saying it will not be about amount of votes specifically altered, but about the gazillions of dollars and the influence and obligation they purchased...Russian and Ukraine as well.

Russian tampering? Certainly, we do similar things yet we need to get on top of this.
Policy influence is the real danger.
delta1 Offline
#27 Posted:
Joined: 11-23-2011
Posts: 28,754
I agree with Frank and Dave...life is so much better when we can agree to disagree and be civil about it...

Under the political veneer, we have much in common.

MACS and I spent an enjoyable day on his boat, fishing, smoking cigars, drinking beer, eating sammiches and had great conversations, all without talking politics...not once did I feel the urge to push him over the side...he's a good friend, even though we differ on many things in politics, but those differences don't define us...

I married a GOP woman, and we've been happily married for 38 years. Best decision I've made in my entire life, with one con kid and one lib kid...we hardly ever talk politics...
MACS Offline
#28 Posted:
Joined: 02-26-2004
Posts: 79,599
I knew Kelly was the smart one... ha!

So true, Al. Frank and I spent some time chatting on a boat ride, too... and as far as I know he didn't want to throw me over, either.
gummy jones Offline
#29 Posted:
Joined: 07-06-2015
Posts: 7,969
27 that con kid has grown into a con man
frankj1 Offline
#30 Posted:
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,211
MACS wrote:
I knew Kelly was the smart one... ha!

So true, Al. Frank and I spent some time chatting on a boat ride, too... and as far as I know he didn't want to throw me over, either.

still don't know how you talked me outta throwing Caren over...
bgz Offline
#31 Posted:
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
delta1 wrote:
I agree with Frank and Dave...life is so much better when we can agree to disagree and be civil about it...

Under the political veneer, we have much in common.

MACS and I spent an enjoyable day on his boat, fishing, smoking cigars, drinking beer, eating sammiches and had great conversations, all without talking politics...not once did I feel the urge to push him over the side...he's a good friend, even though we differ on many things in politics, but those differences don't define us...

I married a GOP woman, and we've been happily married for 38 years. Best decision I've made in my entire life, with one con kid and one lib kid...we hardly ever talk politics...


Ya, it cracks me up when I hear so and so de-friended someone because of politics. If someone is going to do that, then they probably weren't a friend to begin with. I rarely talk politics in person (most my politics talk is on this site if that tells you how into it I am).

I'd rather talk religion :D ... but once people figure out what I am, then they look at me like some sort of pariah (oh, he doesn't fear god, he must not have any morals)... so I guess it's similar. In any case, if they don't like me, I don't GAF.
delta1 Offline
#32 Posted:
Joined: 11-23-2011
Posts: 28,754
gummy jones wrote:
27 that con kid has grown into a con man


hah...con woman...daughter started as a lib, but converted when she married a con man...


son is a lib, like his dad...
MACS Offline
#33 Posted:
Joined: 02-26-2004
Posts: 79,599
frankj1 wrote:
still don't know how you talked me outta throwing Caren over...


She was using my camera... we didn't want it getting wet.
frankj1 Offline
#34 Posted:
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,211
delta1 wrote:
hah...con woman...daughter started as a lib, but converted when she married a con man...


son is a lib, like his dad...

save the wimmens
frankj1 Offline
#35 Posted:
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,211
MACS wrote:
She was using my camera... we didn't want it getting wet.

now I remember why I had to be Gilligan.

Thanks, Skip
bgz Offline
#36 Posted:
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
So what do you get when you cross a lib woman with a con man?



Hillary!!!


*ducks a tomato*
jjanecka Offline
#37 Posted:
Joined: 12-08-2015
Posts: 4,334
Lock her up!
Speyside Offline
#38 Posted:
Joined: 03-16-2015
Posts: 13,106
JJ, I loathe saying it in this instance because president Trump has not been charged with anything. But I feel it is needed because the talking heads convict him daily in the court of public opinion.
RMAN4443 Offline
#39 Posted:
Joined: 09-29-2016
Posts: 7,683
bgz wrote:
Ya, it cracks me up when I hear so and so de-friended someone because of politics. If someone is going to do that, then they probably weren't a friend to begin with. I rarely talk politics in person (most my politics talk is on this site if that tells you how into it I am).

I'd rather talk religion :D ... but once people figure out what I am, then they look at me like some sort of pariah (oh, he doesn't fear god, he must not have any morals)... so I guess it's similar. In any case, if they don't like me, I don't GAF.

I always tell them "fug you, I have enough friends" Anxious
Actually it's a t-shirt
bgz Offline
#40 Posted:
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
RMAN4443 wrote:
I always tell them "fug you, I have enough friends" Anxious
Actually it's a t-shirt


I'm a big fan of automation.
HuckFinn Offline
#41 Posted:
Joined: 07-10-2017
Posts: 2,044
jjanecka wrote:
Seriously what is the Democrat fixation on Russia? We are in control of Afghanistan and Syria, there's a blockade on Iran.


According to NYT Iran is well on its way to being in total control of Syria.
Assad has only won in the short run.

Used to be NYT and WP used to let you read articles online for free...now they want a buck!
teedubbya Offline
#42 Posted:
Joined: 08-14-2003
Posts: 95,637
So don't believe everything you read or see in the press is now a bad thing to say?
HuckFinn Offline
#43 Posted:
Joined: 07-10-2017
Posts: 2,044
teedubbya wrote:
So don't believe everything you read or see in the press is now a bad thing to say?

Depends on where you read it

And where you put your syllabic emphasis es es
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