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[Tripon]

WASHINGTON — The F.B.I. warned a Republican congressman in 2012 that Russian spies were trying to recruit him, officials said, an example of how aggressively Russian agents have tried to influence Washington politics.

The congressman, Dana Rohrabacher of California, has been known for years as one of Moscow’s biggest defenders in Washington and as a vocal opponent of American economic sanctions against Russia. He claims to have lost a drunken arm-wrestling match with the current Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin, in the 1990s. He is one of President Trump’s staunchest allies on Capitol Hill.

Mr. Rohrabacher was drawn into the maelstrom this week when The Washington Post reported on an audio recording of Representative Kevin McCarthy of California, the House majority leader, saying last year, “There’s two people I think Putin pays: Rohrabacher and Trump.” Mr. McCarthy said on Wednesday that he had made a joke that landed poorly.

But the F.B.I. has taken seriously the possibility that Russian spies would target American politicians. In a secure room at the Capitol, an F.B.I. agent told Mr. Rohrabacher in 2012 that Russian spies were trying to recruit him as an “agent of influence” — someone the Russian government might be able to use to steer Washington policy-making, former officials said.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/19/us/politics/dana-rohrabacher-russia-spies.html

 

[GregLombardi]

And did he accept? If so, put him in jail for the rest of his life.

 

[johnsmith]

Doesn't the FBI know it was just a joke?

 

[Baron von Loathsome]

Of course he represents part of Orange Country, CA.

 

[Lord Frieza]

Alice hasn't even reached the end of the rabbit hole

 

[Amir0x]

Why would they need to bother considering he has always been a Putin ballwasher?

 

[SolarPowered]

And did he accept? If so, put him in jail for the rest of his life.

The GOP is probably full of stooges. The FBI has got their work cut out for them.

 

[Kusagari]

Uhh... doesn't this make McCarthy's statement on the tape way more suspicious?

This is exactly who he mentioned with Trump.

 

[DonShula]

You've gotta admire Russia's hustle.

 

[Lord Frieza]

"He claims to have lost a drunken arm-wrestling match with the current Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin, in the 1990s."

Lol

 

[Claude Kenni]

Russia does it because it works.

 

[Mr.Shrugglesツ]

This shit is insane.

 

[andythinkpad]

This is just Friday.

What will bombshell will come out on Sat and Sun?

My brain can't handle it.

 

[BitStyle]

Uhh... doesn't this make McCarthy's statement on the tape way more suspicious?

This is exactly who he mentioned with Trump.

Definitely

 

[Lord Fagan]

hailhydra.gif

There's some shoe waiting to drop that the only reason there's audio of this meeting is because it was a Russian recording intercepted by the FBI.

Watch it happen.

 

[SwordStruck]

That basically confirms the tape with Ryan is real.

 

[TestOfTide]

This is just Friday.

What will bombshell will come out on Sat and Sun?

My brain can't handle it.

An expected Oppo never Droppos.

 

[KirbYuuYuu]

This is just Friday.

What will bombshell will come out on Sat and Sun?

My brain can't handle it.

Nothing I bet. No one checks the news

 

[Lord Frieza]

This is just Friday.

What will bombshell will come out on Sat and Sun?

My brain can't handle it.

God, I honestly hope not. I mean, I need a break.

 

[Derwind]

I could recruit anyone in Washington I liked too if I had enough money?

What's the going rate now for a GOP official? 50k?

 

[Herr Schwarz]

Russia uses Regime Change on America

It's quite effective.


Too bad we couldn't of done the same thing in Iraq. Would of been a lot cheaper. Oh wait you can't cos those shit holes are dictatorships. Same with Vlad.

 

[Steel]

Uhh... doesn't this make McCarthy's statement on the tape way more suspicious?

This is exactly who he mentioned with Trump.

Holy shit I didn't think about that connection. Awkward. McCarthy always gets caught telling the truth at the wrong time, huh?

 

[Goldmund]

One way to interpret Ryan's "family" remark is that he knew that some money flowing into the party is sketchy but you shouldn't complain because it puts food on the table.

 

[BlueTsunami]

This is possibly a reason why Comey iced the House out. The party is rotten from the core.

 

[Lord Frieza]

That basically confirms the tape with Ryan is real.

Pretty sure the Post has a copy of that tape so we know already that it's real.

 

[kirblar]

You can't warn someone who's already been willingly recruited.

 

[Sobriquet]

Figured this was Rohrabacher before I opened the thread.

 

[Zolo]

Pretty sure the Post has a copy of that tape so we know already that it's real.

Didn't Ryan already come out defending himself saying he was joking? It obviously exists otherwise he wouldn't acknowledge it.

 

[DonShula]

This is possibly a reason why Comey iced the House out. The party is rotten from the core.

There's certainly smoke around that right now. I initially thought that was just wishing thinking from Dems. But we're getting closer to that being a legitimate prospect.

I've always suspected (maybe even hoped) that Comey stayed silent on the Russia investigation through the election because whatever he was on to was potentially bigger than keeping one corrupt man from the presidency. Widespread GOP corruption on the representative level would probably meet that criteria.

 

[CDX]

The Washington Post and NYTimes are crazy this week. Alternating back and forth, each time with a new major bombshell story.

So much for that "joke" caught on tape.

 

[Tristam]

Didn't Ryan already come out defending himself saying he was joking? It obviously exists otherwise he wouldn't acknowledge it.

His office initially denied it exists and only admitted to its existence (and excused it as JUST A PRANK BRO) after WaPo informed them that they possessed the audio.

 

[Laevateinn]

Land of the Free but we can't swear allegiance to Vladimir Putin. We're not so innocent you know!

 

[FunkyMunkey]

and a chunk of the GOP being comprised would explain their behavior the last few years and lately in regards to refusing to criticize trump or even now laughing at the thought of impeachment. as if trump has shit on them as well.

if his numbers drop to the apocalytpic range and they refuse to do anything, even when they may lose the majority, it's going to get even more suspicious

 

[Lord Frieza]

The Washington Post and NYTimes are crazy this week. Alternating back and forth, each time with a new major bombshell story.

It is pretty crazy. I wonder if there's been a coordination here or if it's concidence

 

[Shadybiz]

Uhh... doesn't this make McCarthy's statement on the tape way more suspicious?

This is exactly who he mentioned with Trump.

Absolutely, yes.

 

[OTIX]

"Sir, we believe the Russians may be trying to recruit you as an agent of influence."

"Oh my, that's terrible. Purely hypothetically, how much would they usually be willing to pay for something like that?"

 

[KernelPanic]

It is pretty crazy. I wonder if there's been a coordination here or if it's concidence

Coordination of their sources I'd say.

 

[SwordStruck]

Pretty sure the Post has a copy of that tape so we know already that it's real.

I'm referring to them defending it by saying they were joking.

 

[Guevara]

Uhh... doesn't this make McCarthy's statement on the tape way more suspicious?

This is exactly who he mentioned with Trump.

Right?

"Hey so I have this friend... and my friend says, NOT ME BY THE WAY, but my friend says Trump is maybe being recruited by Russia??"

 

[Talamius]

Uhh... doesn't this make McCarthy's statement on the tape way more suspicious?

This is exactly who he mentioned with Trump.

Yep, and draws everyone who was in that room into the investigation. Paul Ryan is sweating right now.

 

[Electric Eye]

The IC isn't fucking around this means the entire GOP is being looked at and they all better start forgetting the name Putin and never mention Russia in public again. Putins plans for a "friendlier" relationship are done.

 

[BlastProcessing]

Hypothetically, if I was Russia and I wanted to get access to high level US intel. I would get an asset in the Gang of 8. (The congressional leaders of each party and the Intel committee chairs from each party). If you look at the members of the Gang of 8, one member sticks out as the easiest mark. That person is the newest to the group and the least rich and powerful. That obvious target is Devin Nunes.

Less hypothetically, I think if we look at the fact that Russia has been working for years on a plan to destabilize and compromise the US government, it's a pretty good bet that they have at least been trying to create assets in Congress, probably on both sides of the aisle.

 

[Zolo]

There's certainly smoke around that right now. I initially thought that was just wishing thinking from Dems. But we're getting closer to that being a legitimate prospect.

I've always suspected (maybe even hoped) that Comey stayed silent on the Russia investigation through the election because whatever he was on to was potentially bigger than keeping one corrupt man from the presidency. Widespread GOP corruption on the representative level would probably meet that criteria.

The fact that this is all the way back from 2012 also means that this has been going on for a while. I wondered if they wanted to cast a bigger net when finding those colluding or if Russia just snuk in more than they ever expected. Either way, if this is true, VERY solid evidence is going to be needed because this is definitely going to look like a partisan witchhunt if Russia only targeted GOP members.

His office initially denied it exists and only admitted to its existence (and excused it as JUST A PRANK BRO) after WaPo informed them that they possessed the audio.

So hopefully they have even MORE incriminating evidence.

 

[BlueTsunami]

and a chunk of the GOP being comprised would explain their behavior the last few years and lately in regards to refusing to criticize trump or even now laughing at the thought of impeachment. as if trump has shit on them as well.

if his numbers drop to the apocalytpic range and they refuse to do anything, even when they may lose the majority, it's going to get even more suspicious

I mean the Freedom Caucas's MO is obstructionism. Going into tin foil hat territory but working as vehemently as they have against a functioning government works into Russias own tactics.

 

[Jams775]

Hypothetically, if I was Russia and I wanted to get access to high level US intel. I would get an asset in the Gang of 8. (The congressional leaders of each party and the Intel committee chairs from each party). If you look at the members of the Gang of 8, one member sticks out as the easiest mark. That person is the newest to the group and the least rich and powerful. That obvious target is Devin Nunes.

Less hypothetically, I think if we look at the fact that Russia has been working for years on a plan to destabilize and compromise the US government, it's a pretty good bet that they have at least been trying to create assets in Congress, probably on both sides of the aisle.

Well I remember Maddow reporting that Nunes has a vineyard in Russia or something like that. soooo...

 

[Mr.Shrugglesツ]

At least Romney faked the funk by calling them the biggest geopolitical threat.

 

[Kremzeek]

Isn't this treason?

And wouldn't it be easy to find suspicious income or deposits? Unless it's all in some anonymous Swiss account?....

 

[Zolo]

At least Romney faked the funk by calling them the biggest geopolitical threat.

I mean...it definitely wasn't because of this. His knowledge on international matters was abysmal. That said, hey! He can come out now about how he was right and maybe try to look kinda good!

 

[Mr.Shrugglesツ]

I mean...it definitely wasn't because of this. His knowledge on international matters was abysmal. That said, hey! He can come out now about how he was right and maybe try to look kinda good!

Or we was targeted back then.

Just saying.

 

[GrizzleBoy]

What's with all these right wing American Eagles looking, walking and talking like ducks?

Isn't that a bit weird?

Maybe someone should look ino that?