emptywheel

WaPo reported that FBI considered paying Steele in Oct '16 for further work -- not for dossier itself.

HELLOOOO. Please stop commenting if you don't realize that most inflammatory report was after that. Thanks.

What report was that?

I'm done. The dossier is public. So is this fact.

I've searched internet, only thing I can find is WaPo article. Genuinely asking. Not sure why you're so defensive about this.

Because you started by telling me I was wrong and that has a way of making people cranky.

I started saying that WaPo reported FBI considered paying Steele after dossier. Separately, I think you're wrong on the Russia part.

I don't think RU paid for the dossier. But I think Trump raises a fair concern abt Fusion taking $ fr RU at time it is doing oppo on him.

The real issue isn't the facts but the narrative. Regardless of whether FBI paid or not it is patently false that they or dossier is fake.

Actually the dossier is problematic. Liberals who cling to it are stupid and counterproductive.

And I'm sorry: it would never be defensible for the FBI to pay for something labeled as oppo research on a candidate.

It wasn't offered to the FBI as oppo research as I've seen reported. I thought Steele gave it to FBI because of it's implications

Which is different from FBI paying for it (I suspect they paid for travel, and changed mind abt paying when Steele went public).

Which diverts attn from the fact that he is compromised, dossier has evidence of that, and Russia has leverage over him. Pee tape included.

That's actually MORE true if you flush the dossier and look at the real evidence in front of you.

Agreed. The dossier SUPPORTS the reality that he is compromised, right?

Saying this in good faith, your tweet is confusing. Not being argumentative, what are the REALLY STUPID TAKES? That Trump isn't lying?

Yes. He's not lying and frankly he has a good point.

Thanks for the clarification.

Everything he alleges in that tweet has at least been suggested by multiple reports.

What reports suggest that Russia paid for the dossier?

None. Except that Ahkmetshin was doing work for Fusion at the same time, which means firm was taking $$ fr Veselnitskaya.

So you are defending his fabrication of the notion that Russia paid based on fact that Russia may have also been indirect client of GPS?

I think there are real Qs about the role of Ahkmetshin. If you think it was problematic to meet with him, then his tie to Fusion problematic