Yglesias: Newly released Senate testimony debunks a key conservative theory on Trump and Russia

[babylonsister]

https://www.vox.com/2018/1/9/16870106/simpson-testimony-transcript

Newly released Senate testimony debunks a key conservative theory on Trump and Russia
The big news Republicans didn’t want you to see.
By Matthew Yglesias@[e-mail]
Jan 9, 2018, 3:00pm EST


The FBI was already investigating potential links between Donald Trump’s campaign and the Russian government before they heard anything about Christopher Steele’s famous dossier on the matter. That’s the key takeaway from Fusion GPS co-founder Glenn Simpson’s extensive testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee, released Tuesday by ranking member Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) over the objections of her Republican colleagues.

snip//

Conservatives have recently been pushing a theory that the basis for the FBI investigation was an opposition research document compiled at the behest of Clinton’s campaign. Simpson’s testimony seems to confirm the Times account and thereby debunk a conservative counternarrative that places the dossier itself at the center of the story.

snip//

And while the investigation has not yet proven the existence of anything like the vast conspiracy that Steele alleges, it certainly has uncovered real evidence of wrongdoing — including a guilty plea from Papadopoulos himself, and serious charges against former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort and former Trump National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.

We’ve also learned from the investigation that key Trumpworld figures, including Jared Kushner and Donald Trump Jr., were, at a minimum, eager to potentially collaborate with the Russian government on revealing anti-Clinton “dirt,” rather than emulating Downer in alerting the authorities to the existence of an active Russian intelligence effort aimed at the United States.

It also, obviously, continues to be an ongoing investigation that might yet reveal other criminal activity. Or it might not. But either way, Simpson’s testimony — which Republicans on the committee didn’t want released to the public — is more evidence that the question was taken seriously by law enforcement for reasons that had nothing to do with Steele or his dossier.

[Vinca]

1. It also reveals the depths the GOP will sink to in order to protect Trump.

The entire country owes Christopher Steele a big apology and a giant thank you.

[Docreed2003]

2. Spot on post....

[SpicyBoi]

3. Does this mean that the investigation started well before Mueller?

If so, what's taking so long? DRUMPF IS GUILTY

[Wounded Bear]

4. The FBI investigation was well under way before the election...

Mueller didn't start until after the inauguration and the Comey firing.