Recently declassified intelligence documents reveal that Hillary Clinton and her campaign team allegedly strategized to create a false narrative about Trump's connections to Russia. This was reportedly intended to shift focus away from Clinton’s email controversy during the 2016 presidential election.
1. Intelligence Documents: The 29-page document, known as the “Durham annex,” comes from the Office of Special Counsel's investigation, showcasing communications between Clinton’s campaign advisers and supporters of George Soros.
2. Clinton Campaign Strategy: Leonard Benardo, a senior official from Soros’ Open Society Foundations, communicated with Clinton's foreign policy advisor, Julianne Smith, about using Russian interference claims to damage Trump's reputation. They discussed portraying Trump as an "agent of influence" for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
3. Email Findings: The documents included emails discussing how to manipulate public perception regarding Trump's alleged ties to Russia. Benardo noted that this strategy was aimed at achieving a favorable narrative for Clinton post-convention and suggested that the FBI's involvement would amplify the story.
4. FBI Investigation: Although the FBI indicated that Russia was involved in cyber-influence activities, it found no evidence connecting Russia's actions to Trump's campaign. Former President Obama and his senior advisors allegedly pressured intelligence officials to suggest otherwise.
5. Clinton's Approval: Follow-up emails imply that Clinton approved a strategy to fabricate links between Trump and Russia as a distraction from her own email issues. Benardo indicated this plan was aimed at making the Russian narrative a domestic issue.
6. Reactions to Findings: OSC concluded that there is evidence suggesting that the Clinton campaign expected the FBI to support their narrative. Responses from Clinton and her advisers have rejected the claims, labeling the emails as ridiculous.
The declassified documents raise significant concerns about the actions of the Clinton campaign during the 2016 election and suggest a potential misuse of intelligence by political figures. The ongoing debate focuses on whether this constitutes a political scandal or merely a misunderstood strategy amid a contentious election. So far, Clinton and her team have not publicly addressed the implications of the Durham annex.
https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_412c9d5e-4ec0-491d-9321-7df6cf2e85eb.html
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