Obama administration conducted spying operations on Trump campaign

[Fenring]

The truth is, FBI policy was to not mention investigations that might influence elections.  But Comey broke policy, helping Trump and hurting Clinton. That was the choice of the head of the FBI. Do not deny that it was a choice.

I'm not quite sure this is an accurate assessment. Probably half the country was convinced she was a criminal walking free and running for President, which according to people expecting Trump to be caught in something is a very serious situation for the country. Offhand it seems to me that failing to mention that the matter was being taken seriously by the FBI would have made it seem an awful lot like Hillary was getting a free pass and was above the law. Some still believe that anyhow but I think it's more harmful to arouse suspicious of criminal conspiracy than it is to 'influence elections'.

[D.W.]

Probably half the country was convinced she was a criminal walking free and running for President

I'd believe half wanted her to be a criminal, because we believe she does not respect the law, but I think a much lower percentage believe she BROKE the law.

[Fenring]

Probably half the country was convinced she was a criminal walking free and running for President

I'd believe half wanted her to be a criminal, because we believe she does not respect the law, but I think a much lower percentage believe she BROKE the law.

Don't know how to find metrics on that but I'd be surprised if they didn't really believe it. I guess you could argue that "they only made themselves believe it because that's the answer they wanted in the first place." It's hard to assess which belief led to which belief, right? Do they want her to be guilty because they think she's a criminal, or vice versa, or both? I guess I prefer to avoid the motive speculation and just take it for granted they really thought she had broken the law. It's always tough when there's a vested interest in one result, though. "Our side wins if she's guilty", and likewise for Trump. That's one of the issues with partisan politics.

[D.W.]

I wasn't suggesting self deception.  More that "it would be easier if things were black and white".  I believe she flouts the law, but is not reckless enough to have broken it.  Exploited it?  Abused it?  Bent it?  Sure, ya.  I'll buy that.  But as much as I don't like her, I respect her ability to color within the lines...

Trump on the other hand?  I don't think we'll be putting any of those drawings up on the White House fridge.

[velcro]

Offhand it seems to me that failing to mention that the matter was being taken seriously by the FBI would have made it seem an awful lot like Hillary was getting a free pass and was above the law.

Yes, offhand that might be what it seems.

But there is longstanding, established FBI policy that if you are close to elections, you limit what you say.  It is pretty universally agreed that when Comey announced they were reopening the investigation because of the laptop, he violated that policy.

If you choose to ignore that, you have to admit that that failing to mention that Trump's campaign was even under investigation by the FBI would have made it seem an awful lot like Trump was getting a free pass and was above the law.

So Hilary was called out before they even knew if the laptop had any evidence.  Trump was protected even though there was a lot of evidence of wrongdoing.

There is no way you can call that anti-Trump.

[velcro]

Senate panel backs up intelligence agencies, says Russia aimed to help Trump in election

The Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday backed up conclusions from U.S. intelligence agencies that Moscow interfered in the 2016 election with the aim of helping President Trump win, releasing an unclassified report which called the intelligence assessment solid.

“The Committee has spent the last 16 months reviewing the sources, tradecraft and analytic work underpinning the Intelligence Community Assessment and sees no reason to dispute the conclusions,” said a statement from Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), the panel’s chairman.

In addition, the report said there were no signs that President Obama’s administration improperly tried to interfere with intelligence agencies’ analysis.

“The Committee heard consistently that analysts were under no politically motivated pressure to reach any conclusions,” the report said.

Was the FBI part of that report?  If so, they did not put an anti-Trump spin on it.