The actual big news today: https://t.co/akjecEnd1K
— Andrea Caruso (@AndreaNRuth) September 23, 2016
This looks … not good:
U.S. intelligence officials are seeking to determine whether an American businessman identified by Donald Trump as one of his foreign policy advisers has opened up private communications with senior Russian officials — including talks about the possible lifting of economic sanctions if the Republican nominee becomes president, according to multiple sources who have been briefed on the issue.
The activities of Trump adviser Carter Page, who has extensive business interests in Russia, have been discussed with senior members of Congress during recent briefings about suspected efforts by Moscow to influence the presidential election, the sources said. After one of those briefings, Senate minority leader Harry Reid wrote FBI Director James Comey, citing reports of meetings between a Trump adviser (a reference to Page) and “high ranking sanctioned individuals” in Moscow over the summer as evidence of “significant and disturbing ties” between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin that needed to be investigated by the bureau.
Some of those briefed were “taken aback” when they learned about Page’s contacts in Moscow, viewing them as a possible back channel to the Russians that could undercut U.S. foreign policy, said a congressional source familiar with the briefings but who asked for anonymity due to the sensitivity of the subject. The source added that U.S. officials in the briefings indicated that intelligence reports about the adviser’s talks with senior Russian officials close to President Vladimir Putin were being “actively monitored and investigated.”
Read the whole thing.
This bit may be of particular interest:
WOW. US intel says a top Trump advisor went to Moscow and met with Kremlin head of collecting intel on US elections. https://t.co/dkMSRMAyUv pic.twitter.com/Ax3sWEmfbU
— Elliott Schwartz (@elliosch) September 23, 2016
Anyone else see a potential problem here?
https://twitter.com/NoahCRothman/status/779396276974718976
Whoa.
— Marcus S. (@goodwillfiction) September 23, 2016
holy shit
— rolltide (@danajbama) September 23, 2016
what in the actual fuck!?
— humbly apologetic (@awrichner) September 23, 2016
https://twitter.com/PinaPopper69/status/779389257634852864
https://twitter.com/aerospace5/status/779387991554785280
Um. This is a big deal if it's the way Isikoff depicts.https://t.co/icDaUEHkZc https://t.co/xk3sAIG3z4
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) September 23, 2016
So yeah this seems like a pretty big dealhttps://t.co/EUgGcgtXsR
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) September 23, 2016
Wouldn't this be illegal? Trying to bargain for the United States as a representative of Trump?
— Jules (@Jules_In_Love) September 23, 2016
It definitely doesn’t sound kosher.
In Soviet Russia, election has YOU! https://t.co/dRV6bJRUfk
— Shoshana Weissmann, Sloth Committee Chair ? (@senatorshoshana) September 23, 2016
Maybe someone should give Trump a chance to clear the air, huh?
@JeffersonObama now this is a debate question.
— CandisB77 (@parklake907) September 23, 2016
Inquiring minds wanna know.
Editor’s note: This post has been updated with additional tweets.
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