Thursday, March 28, 2024
Miles from the Mainstream
D. R. ZUKERMAN, proprietor

A switch: dossier corroborated instead of being corroborating?

January 19, 2018 --

Previously, it was generally reported that the Steele dossier has not been corroborated. Glenn R. Simpson, in an op-ed article in The New York Times, January 3, co-authored with Peter Fritsch, now contends, "the dossier was taken so seriously because it corroborated reports the [FBI] had received from other sources, including one inside the Trump camp." What "reports," what "other sources," the op-ed doesn't say.

Another switch -- Papadopoulos for Carter Page

Here is a front page New York Timesd headline for April 20, 2017: "Ex-Trump Aide's Russia Trip Sent F.B.I. Digging"

The story cited a Moscow trip by Carter Page as "a catalyst for the F.B.I. investigations into connections bewtween Russia and President Trump's campaign...." The report also reported that "the F.B.I. obtained a warrant from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court allowing the authorities to monitor [Page's] communications on the suspicion that he was a Russian agent."

Compare with lead headline, New York Times, December 31, 2017: "Unlikely Source Propelled / Russian Meddling Inquiry"

No, it is not Carter Page, but one George Papadopoulos, chatting in a bar with an Australian diplomat. (Papadopolous has pleaded guilty in action brought by the special counsel Mueller to making
a false statement-- but apparently not he told the diplomat about the leaking of Democratic National Committee emails)