4 ms·
Yes, remember that presidential candidate Bernie Sanders also got smeared with Russian interference, so it is not something only used on Trump or Trump support
by tored 5y ago
Yes, remember that presidential candidate Bernie Sanders also got smeared with Russian interference, so it is not something only used on Trump or Trump supporters. In my country, Sweden, alleging connections to Russia or Putin is often used in the political discourse to silence individuals or groups, without any sort of proof. It has happened both on the right and the left.
We have to remember that many journalists in the west are funded by the security apparatus or any of it subsidiaries.
- temp8964 5y agoDid FBI investigate Bernie Sanders and his associates?
- tored 5y agoNot officially to my knowledge, so it is not exactly the same, but he was briefed by the "intelligence community" about it and that was used to smear his campaign.
- mc32 5y agoThe accusation stuck enough that nothing further had to be put forth.
- teclordphrack2 5y agoNa, cause Bernies team did not speak with the russians unlike trumps team whom spoke with, meet with, and gave information to the russians.
- tored 5y agoWhat information to whom?
- gebruikersnaam 5y agoTreasury: Manafort associate passed 'sensitive' campaign data to Russian intelligence [1] The government finally connects the line from Trump’s campaign to Russian intelligence [2] [1] https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/548447-treasury-manafort-russian-intelligence-trump-campaign-2016 https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/548447-treasury... [2] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/04/15/government-finally-connects-line-trumps-campaign-russian-intelligence/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/04/15/governmen...
- tored 5y agoThanks. Manafort seems to be a dirty player and I wouldn't be surprised if he was involved in some shady businesses with people you shouldn't associate with, however that report is based on one line taken from a press release from the Treasure Department providing zero evidence for that claim. I will keep my skepticism on until more evidence is shown. Aaron Maté and Glenn Greenwald discusses this on the Grayzone https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AXcjwX-JGA&t=853s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AXcjwX-JGA&t=853s
- gebruikersnaam 5y agoInteresting that you comment on the part from the Treasury Department, and not the WP piece. The latter references the Senate committee, stating that Kilimnik received highly sensitive campaign data and designated him as a Russian agent. If anything needs skepticism its people like Mate and Greenwald.
- tored 5y agoWhat type of information was shared from the Trump campaign? Polling data and strategy to beat Hillary Clinton. Gates has testified that the polling data was non-sensitive and also dated. I think the only real significant claim the Senate report does is when says the DNC leaks of 2016 was done by GRU and then sent to WikiLeaks and report says "Kilimnik may have been connected to the GRU's hack and leak operation targeting the 2016 U.S. election", but that proof builds on speculation based redacted material in the Senate report.
- gebruikersnaam 5y ago> I think What you think is irrelevant, US intelligence classifies the data as sensitive. The fact is that Manafort lied about sharing the data with Kilimnik, that Barr tried to keep it a secret. But lets see what the Senate report actually says: "It is our conclusion, based on the facts detailed in the Committee's Report, that the Russian intelligence services' assault on the integrity of the 2016 U.S. electoral process[,] and Trump and his associates' participation in and enabling of this Russian activity, represents one of the single most grave counterintelligence threats to American national security in the modem era." Trump and his associates' participation in and enabling of this Russian activity
- merpnderp 5y agoThat smear against Bernie was pretty easy when there are like a dozen videos of Bernie praising communism, being sad that Reagan was so popular in Russia in the 80's, thinking Castro was a really great guy, or generally publicly sucking up to the USSR or USSR clients.
- tored 5y agoUnion of Soviet Socialist Republics is not the same entity as the Russian Federation, two totally different political entities with not that much in common (except maybe KGB/FSB). Usually socialist in the west, that supported the USSR, are anti-Russia today because the perceive Russia as nationalistic and conservative. It is okay to criticize Sanders past political praise of USSR, but mixing that up with Russia today is just nonsense.
- gowld 5y agoUSSR was a Communist expansionist, militaristic authoritarian tyranny. Russian Federation is a oligopoly market-based, expansionist, militaristic authoritarian tyranny composed of largely the same people. The current President of Russia (and now dictator for life) dislikes communism because it was an economic failure that didn't sustain his dictatorship.
- tored 5y agoSoviet republics are gone, they are independent from the Soviet empire. Warsaw Pact does not exist, most of the old membership countries are part of EU now. All that military power is mostly gone. Soviet was expansionist to spread communism around the world. Russia interfere in countries that has a large Russian minority, like Crimea or Georgia. Not really the same as how the Soviet Union worked. Russians can now travel freely. Orthodox Church is no longer forbidden.
- mint2 5y agoFox News and conservatives supporting sources smeared sanders that way. Part of it was likely to muddy the waters since Trump had an actual Russia thing, and part was to play up the gops age old boogie man, socialism.
- tored 5y agoWhat Russia thing would that be?