Russians in Sanders’ Campaign? Damn Possible
File under You Can’t Make This Up:
It started a few days ago in RW Nutjob Land (I never link to RW Nutjob sites, so you’ll have to find it yourself), but this story has legs and deserves covering. This story is about Tad Devine who was…wait for it…Bernie Sanders chief strategist during the 2016 election. Devine is a long-time advisor and strategist for Democratic candidates, even being senior advisor to both Al Gore and John Kerry for their presidential runs. He’s also been an international political consultant, (and this is where it gets weird), he partnered with Paul Manafort to advise Viktor Yanukovych, the Russian backed strongman who is now in exile in Russia after being removed from power in 2014 for corruption and suppression of protests and the press.
What’s really bad for Devine (and us) is that Mueller’s most recent indictment contains many exhibits of communication between Devine and Manafort, and even Russian-born Konstantin Kilimnik, who is under indictment by Mueller. This association feeds the rumors that Sanders was part of a vast conspiracy by the Russians to get Hillary. No one knows yet if that storyline is true, but it damn sure looks bad; it’s unknown if the Russians had some inroad into Sanders campaign, but there is certainly a possible onramp. This one will be interesting to follow.
There is a place for anger, and THIS is it.
If a top Democratic campaign consultant was providing advice intended to harm rather than help Democratic candidates – it would explain so many things.
I’d want some real evidence of intent before making that accusation, but given the way the national consultants put Wendy Davis on the road to defeat – not particularly surprising.
(/tinfoil hat)
1Waiting for more on this… but, El Jefe, the tag “There is a place for anger, and THIS is it” is getting old. The first few times it was dead on point, but every time? Give it a rest once in a while. Not every story you report is torch-and-pitchfork level, so quit crying wolf and save it for when you need it.
2“This association feeds the rumors that Sanders was part of a vast conspiracy by the Russians to get Hillary.”
I don’t doubt that Russians infiltrated everything they could to accomplish their goals, but the only “rumors” i’ve heard that Sanders (himself, by implication) was part of a vast conspiracy was right here…by you.
3Once again, Putin really, *really* didn’t want Clinton as POTUS. All of those RWNJs that claim collusion by Clinton and her circle flat out refuse to acknowledge that the person best able to keep America strong would be the one Putin liked least.
Thirty years of Republican smearing, Bubba’s trail included, Russian interference, and she almost carried it off.
If every campaign doesn’t have a dedicated, well trained, digital security officer, they aren’t qualified for the 21st century…
4Not sure about this latest installment of the “Russians are coming.” What is interesting and has yet to be answered, why were the recounts stopped in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin? President-elect Trump and his supporters filed legal motions in all three states to prevent the recounts. However, that does not address who and why the recounts were stopped.
Meanwhile as investigations continue into Russian interference in 2016 the elections, buffoons in Congress can’t spell cyber attack much less define it. Stable Genius Jim Jordan ‘thinks’ voter ID is the answer to cyber attacks. Yeah right, Jim, conflating your voter suppression efforts with protecting elections.
Drag Zuckerberg and Facebook executives before a Senate committee that can actually formulate intelligent questions and comprehend the answers. (which would eliminate Roy Blunt, Susan Collins, Tom Cotton, John Cornyn, Diane Feinstein, Joe Manchin, James Risch and Marco Rubio) Forget the House where Nunes, Rohrabacher, and critters like Nunes roam.
When evaluating who is complicit and who is being thrown under the bus, follow the money and reason through who has the most gain.
5Rhea, I so appreciate your editorial criticism. Like I say in my bio here, I don’t care what you think. I’m an equal opportunity insulter, and I write what I want. If you don’t like it, feel free to speak up like here, but don’t be surprised if I ignore you.
6Just drop this bullchit.
This is a purely diversionary tactic by ‘you can guess who’: the Repukes, the Russians, and most of all the tacticians on Team Treasonous (TT).
TT has been catching a lot of flack lately on many fronts. They are simply laying down a smokescreen, dispensing chaff, throwing out chum; hoping that enough people (on all sides) will get distracted from some or all of the far more important issues besetting their traitorous asses.
Diversionary actions, statements, and moves are some of RAT45’s oldest and favorite ways of throwing the bloodhounds off of his sorry butt trail as he dodges for cover yet again. Donnei operates that fake rabbit at the stupid dogtracks, and the greyhounds seem to fall for it every race.
It’s high time that this crooked mangy fleabitten chupacabra got himself treed and has a slimeproof net thrown over his fat hiney.
LOCK -HIM- UP! Don’t sweat the diversionary bullchit, it’s practically meaningless, and is distracting from the real chit. The Clinton-Sanders primary was over a century ago, we know the Russkis and Rethugs then stole the 2016 election. BFD, bury it (for now). Revengeful payback comes later.
All that matters now is to seat bulletproof Democratic majorities in Congress next January. Literally everything in your lives balances on that electoral knife-edge, there has never been a more important election.
Don’t get dizzy over a dog-ass fly buzzing around your eyes. Just squish it, and apply some insect repellent, because the dog-ass and bot flies will be swarming, the MAGAots writhing around, all trying to stir up the cesspool for the next THREE MONTHS.
Has anyone seen KKKarl Rove with Kellyanne Conjob in the basement of the White House lately? This has their greasy pawprints all over it. Watch Sarah Huckaloo pitch it next week: ‘screech– see, the Demonrats did it!–.
7Sandridge, good points – the timing is suspect as it is also odd to single out Levine only. The fact remains Manafort, Tony Podesta, Tad Levine, Mark Penn, and Steve Schmidt worked for Viktor Yanukovych, while Paul Begala and David Axelrod worked for Tymoshenko. It’s not illegal; nor is communicating with Manafort illegal.
Unlike Manafort, the others left Yanukovych once he began his autocratic ways. The money laundering and other crimes of which Manafort is charged? Charge any who have committed similar crimes.
8My first political campaign was in 1958, for Jim Wright. Admittedly, I was 5 years old and just stuffed envelopes, but have seen many sausages made since then. Even so, today’s summary of what Sanders was put through in the primary made even me disgusted:
https://medium.com/@lilraptor40/the-case-of-election-rigging-against-bernie-sanders-76c22a13e597
The DNC and DNCC are completely out of touch with the vast majority of non-Republican voters, and still seem to believe that winning elections is just a matter of raising money and becoming more like Republicans. I traveled through Michigan in the summer of 2016, and it was clear that Sanders would have carried the state if he had won the primary. It was also clear that there was far more support for “Not Clinton” than there was for Trump.
It may just be coincidence that this news comes out just when this article is posted on the web. But I’ve become suspicious and paranoid in my old age (which started around the time I became a teenager).
The tag line (“there is a place for anger …”) may be repetitive, but it’s something that we need to get in front of everyone who wonders “why are we in this handbasket, and where are we going?” If anything, I’d augment it with “there is a time and place for anger ….” We have one political party that has become completely disconnected from its base (assuming its base is not just Hollywood and Wall Street financers), and another that has become disconnected from reality itself. In any case, I’m willing to read it many more times as long as it means El Jefe and our serene proprietress JJ Herownself (and our Dairy Queen Data Miner and the many commenters) are still fighting the good fight.
This site is one of the few that keeps me from giving up on the whole shebang … so thanks to all of you have been contributing!
9Holy crap. Is it just me, or is EVERYTHING attached to or embroiled with or tangent to those gd RUSSIANS??!! How has this happened? I am mentally exhausted by every story with yet another Russian lurking within. I grew up with Russians being the villains, then we had detente and Samantha Smith in the 80s and they were not the villains anymore and now, with the longevity of horrible Putin who murders people, here they are again, everywhere. I can’t even keep track anymore. Who can keep up with the horribleness, I cannot.
10I’m wondering what, if any, influence the Russians had on the vote for Jill Stein (and did she solicit it or know about it), which definitely had a negative effect on Hillary Clinton in those three swing states.
And next week should be “tremendous” (to use one of Dotard45’s words though he won’t think so in this case) with the trial of Manafort starting – jury selection – intrigue! And further courtroom action with Butina.
Otherwise, I’m just waiting (impatiently) for Mueller!
11And yes, El Jefe, I find your thesis plausible. The Russians are not really “coming” as we all have long thought, with fire and sword, but more with criminal “seepage”. They are very very good at that.
12I do so remember in the early days of the Primary the SHIFT in the Sanders Campaign. We were having a truly democratic Primary, both Candidates talking about policy, being respectful and intelligent, each camp talking policy, not Each other, you know, being 3 dimensional people of substance – and then… the Sanders social media machine started bringing up every Fictional meme the Rethug machine ever created on the Clintons, riling the BErsters as thoroughly as the Rethugs at a Trump rally, demonizing Clinton and reinforcing the 2d MONSTER the Rethugs had been creating – I had planned to vote for Bernie in the Primary to make a statement and then vote for the Dem in the NAtl, but once this behavior started, It was obvious something had changed, and it was so Disappointing. Bernie had played an important part in our Govt, as the Ornery Socialist who did his part to keep the Dems from going too far right…..and then I Was getting the same Meme’s from the Sanders camp and the Rethugs……Lost some long standing friendships over said behavior…… with Destabilization as the goal, party doesn’t matter, just division everywhere…… Objective secured, just read these comments…… SMDH
13The Sanders delegates to the national Democratic convention were there to create havoc. Bernie said he would support the ticket, his delegates didn’t. Wish I had seen it earlier on in the primary season.
Nothing surprises me anymore. I remember when Dan Patrick ran for the Texas senate. His Democratic opponent was his BFF. He just filed to run on the Democratic ticket. When a bruhaha was raised about Patrick keeping his radio program while a candidate, the media asked his opponent if he had a problem with it. Of course he did not.
14El Jefe, okay, you don’t care what anybody thinks. Neither does a two-year-old, and neither does Donnie Trump. I figure it’s a mark of adulthood to be able to say, “You know, you might be right.” But you don’t care what I think.
15The Surly Professor, “suspicious and paranoid” are awesome qualities, when there is solid evidence to make one wary of an adversary. Putin may very well be Dotard45’s friend, but he is no friend to western democracy. Putin intends to restore the Russian Federation to the days before glasnost and perestroika minus the communism. As with his pal Donnie it’s full ahead with government by and for oligarchs.
While awaiting Team Mueller to deliver the facts, we can do our best to get out the word on guys like Nunes and Rohrabacher. Remember the Russian Embassy in San Francisco with fireplace roaring on a very hot September 1, 2017?
http://www.palmerreport.com/opinion/devin-nunes-dana-rohrabacher-russia/4665/
16@Rhea – you commented publicly, I answered publicly. Ain’t free speech great?
17I don’t mind the “anger” tagline, but you don’t have to be so surly and rude in your responses El Jefe. You sound like you’re telling Rhea to F*ck off! You can say you’re going to keep using it because you believe it’s the right thing. We have all the rudeness and assholery we need from the GOP. We don’t need to throw it at each other. Civility and treating one another with dignity is a good thing.
So the gist is, you don’t have to change that tagline if you don’t want to, just be nicer to your sisters and brothers in the beauty shop. We are all on the same side, you know.
BTW, you may not have felt you were being unkind and uncivil with your reply, but it sounded that way to me and apparently it sounded that way to Rhea.
18Jane &PKM: I keep looking for evidence that Trump is recruiting oligarchs in the US. The whole trade war and tarriffs strategy gives him lots of leverege to punish or reward industries and even individual corporations. His IRS ruling giving NRA and others anonymity of donors seems like a red carpet laid out for mega donations to him, laundered through non-profits. He just needs control of DOJ to legally punish or turn a blind eye, and he can start demanding nine-figure protection racket payments like his idol Vlad does. Things to look for: Federal Trade Commission to take inconsistent actions granting or busting monopolies; turnover of corporate leadership to compliant, often business-ignorant thugs; major price increases in newly monopolized industries, unchallenged; an occasional unsolved murder of an independent-minded business leader; and of course Trump showing vast increases in income. Corporate leaders would probably know to just wait the crazy bastard out, so it would be vital.to him to have either unofficial (through his idiot children kr allies
19