# Leaked report of Russian blackmail of Trump **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 10, 2017, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846 "2017-01-10T23:59:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 22
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/421 "2017-01-18T15:55:32Z")
Coming soon to a bumper near you: [Putin Trump Russia Bumper Sticker GONE](http://www.northernsun.com/Putin-Trump-Russia-Bumper-Sticker-%287600%29.html) ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/422 "2017-01-18T21:14:53Z")
> [@aurora\_maire](#): > > Putin keeping the story in the headlines right before Trump’s big day. That’s what best friends are for! Maddow reporting that Putin has used a honey trap successfully in the past. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/uHX031UoCXA/maxresdefault.jpg "Prostitutes, Hidden Hotel Camera's: Familiar Putin Tools | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHX031UoCXA) ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/423 "2017-01-18T21:56:05Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Coming soon to a bumper near you: [http://www.northernsun.com/Putin-Trump-Russia-Bumper-Sticker-(7600).html](http://www.northernsun.com/Putin-Trump-Russia-Bumper-Sticker-%287600%29.html) How about that old decal of Calvin pissing on the Ford logo, but with Putin for Calvin and Trump for the logo? ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/424 "2017-01-19T01:17:16Z")
> [@Evil\_Economist](#): > > How about that old decal of Calvin pissing on the Ford logo, but with Putin for Calvin and Trump for the logo? Possibly very slightly NSFW: [https://media.giphy.com/media/l4q81ew3cNQVt9DHi/giphy.gif](https://media.giphy.com/media/l4q81ew3cNQVt9DHi/giphy.gif) ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/425 "2017-02-10T22:18:34Z")
CNN: US investigators corroborate some aspects of the Russia dossier > **[US investigators corroborate some aspects of the Russia dossier | CNN Politics](https://www.cnn.com/2017/02/10/politics/russia-dossier-update/index.html)** > > For the first time, US investigators say they have corroborated some of the communications detailed in a 35-page dossier compiled by a former British intelligence agent, multiple current and former US law enforcement and intelligence officials tell... > [@](#): > > Washington (CNN) - For the first time, US investigators say they have corroborated some of the communications detailed in a 35-page dossier compiled by a former British intelligence agent, multiple current and former US law enforcement and intelligence officials tell CNN. As CNN first reported, then-President-elect Donald Trump and President Barack Obama were briefed on the existence of the dossier prior to Trump’s inauguration. > > None of the newly learned information relates to the salacious allegations in the dossier. Rather it relates to conversations between foreign nationals. The dossier details about a dozen conversations between senior Russian officials and other Russian individuals. Sources would not confirm which specific conversations were intercepted or the content of those discussions due to the classified nature of US intelligence collection programs. > > But the intercepts do confirm that some of the conversations described in the dossier took place between the same individuals on the same days and from the same locations as detailed in the dossier, according to the officials. CNN has not confirmed whether any content relates to then-candidate Trump. > > The corroboration, based on intercepted communications, has given US intelligence and law enforcement “greater confidence” in the credibility of some aspects of the dossier as they continue to actively investigate its contents, these sources say. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2017, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/426 "2017-02-11T02:47:41Z")
Very interesting. It makes you wonder which parts were confirmed. I pulled the sections of the dossier which appear to be one or more Russians speaking to each other. If those sections weren’t interesting, I just included one sentence. If they were interesting, I included a lot more. Some of them being confirmed wouldn’t be damning to Trump, but many of them would be. This is a long wall of text so I’ll tuck it away in a spoiler box. > [@](#): > > Speaking in June 2016, a number of Russian figures with a detailed knowledge of national cyber crime, both state-sponsored and otherwise, outlined the current situation in this area. > > Speaking in July 2016, a Russian source close to Rosneft President, PUTIN close associate and US-sanctioned individual, Igor SECHIN, confided the details of a recent secret meeting between hirn and visiting Foreign Affairs Advisor to Republican presidential candidate Donald TRUMP, Carter PAGE. > > Speaking in confidence to a trusted associate in late July 2016, a Russian emigre figure dose to the Republican US presidential candidate Donald TRUMP’s campaign team commented on the fallout from publicity surrounding the Democratic National Committee (DNC) e-mail hacking scandal. The emigre said there was a high level of anxiety within the TRUMP team as a result of various accusations levelled against them and indications from the Kremlin that President PUTIN and others in the leadership thought things had gone too far now and risked spiralling out of control. > > Speaking in early August 2016, two well-placed and established Kremlin sources outlined the divisions and backlash in Moscow arising from the leaking of Democratic National Committee (DNC) e-mails and the wider pro-TRUMP operation being conducted in the US. > > Speaking in confidence to a close colleague in early August 2016, Head of the Russian Presidential Administration ¶, Sergei IVANOV, assessed the impact and results of Kremlin intervention in the US presidential election to date. > > Speaking separately, also in early August 2016, a Kremlin official involved in US relations commented on aspects of the Russian operation to date. Its goal had been threefold: asking sympathetic US actors how Moscow could help them; gathering relevant intelligence; and creating and disseminating compromising information (‘kompromat’). This had involved the Kremlin supporting various US political figures, including funding indirectly their recent visits to Moscow. S/he named a delegation from Lyndon LAROUCHE; presidential candidate Jill STEIN of the Green Party; TRUMP foreign policy adviser Carter PAGE; and former DIA Director Michael Flynn, in this regard and as successful in terms of perceived outcomes. > > Speaking in confidence on 9 August 2016, an ethnic Russian associate of Republican US presidential candidate Donald TRUMP discussed the reaction inside his camp, and revised tactics therein resulting from recent negative publicity concerning Moscow’s clandestine involvement in the campaign. > > Speaking in late August 2016, in the immediate aftermath of Paul MANAFORT’s resignation as campaign manager for US Republican presidential candidate Donald TRUMP, a well-placed Russian figure reported on a recent meeting between President PUTIN and ex-President YANUKOVYCH of Ukraine. This had been held in secret on 15 August near Volgograd, Russia and the western media revelations about MANAFORT and Ukraine had featured prominently on the agenda. YANUKOVYCH had confided in PUTIN that he did authorise and order substantial kick-back payments to MANAFORT as alleged but sought to reassure him that there was no documentary trail left behind which could provide clear evidence of this. > > Speaking to a trusted compatriot in June 2016 sources A and B, a senior Russian Foreign Ministry figure and a former top level Russian intelligence officer still active inside the Kremlin respectively, the Russian authorities had been cultivating and supporting US Republican presidential candidate, Donald TRUMP for at least 5 years. > > Asked about the Kremlin’s reported intelligence feed on TRUMP over recent years and rumours about a Russian dossier of ‘kompromat’ on Hillary CLINTON (being circulated), Source B confirmed the file’s existence. S/he confided in a trusted compatriot that it had been collated by Department K of the FSB for many years, dating back to her husband Bill’s presidency, and comprised mainly eavesdropped conversations of various sorts rather than details/evidence of unorthodox or embarrassing behavior. Some of the conversations were from bugged comments CLINTON had made on her various trips to Russia and focused on things she had said which contradicted her current position on various issues. Others were most probably from phone intercepts. > > Speaking separately, also in July 2016, an official close to Presidential Administration Head, S. IVANOV, confided in a compatriot that a senior colleague in the Internal Political Department of the PA, DIVYEKIN (nfd) also had met secretly with PAGE on his recent visit. Their agenda had included DIVEYKIN raising a dossier of ‘kompromat’ the Kremlin possessed on TRUMP’s Democratic presidential rival, Hillary CLINTON, and its possible release to the Republican’s campaign team. … 4. However, the Kremlin official dose to S. IVANOV added that s/he believed DIVEYKIN also had hinted (or indicated more strongly) that the Russian leadership also had ‘kornpromat’ on TRUMP which the latter should bear in mind in his dealings with them. > > Speaking in confidence to a compatriot in late July 2016, Source E, an ethnic Russian close associate of Republican US presidential candidate Donald TRUMP, admitted that there was a well-developed conspiracy of co-operation between them and the Russian leadership. This was managed on the TRUMP side by the Republican candidate’s campaign manager, Paul MANAFORT, who was using foreign policy advisor, Carter PAGE, and others as intermediaries. > > Speaking in confidence to a trusted compatriot in mid-September 2016, a senior member of the Russian Presidential Administration ¶ commented on the political fallout from recent western media revelations about Moscow’s intervention, in favour of Donald TRUMP and against Hillary CLINTON, in the US presidential election. The PA official reported that the issue had become incredibly sensitive and that President PUTIN had issued direct orders that Kremlin and government insiders should not discuss it in public or even in private. > > Finally, speaking separately to the same compatriot, a senior Russian MFA official reported that as a prophylactic measure, a leading Russian diplomat, Mikhail KULAGIN, had been withdrawn from Washington at short notice because Moscow feared his heavy involvement in the US presidential election operation, including the so-called veterans’ pensions ruse (reported previously), would be exposed in the media there. His replacement, Andrei BONDAREV however was clean in this regard. > > Speaking to a trusted compatriot in mid-September 2016, a top level Russian government official commented on the history and current state of relations between President PUTIN and the Alpha Group of businesses led by oligarchs Mikhail FRIDMAN, Petr AVEN and German KHAN. > > Speaking to a trusted compatriot in September 2016, two well-placed sources based in St Petersburg, one in the political/business elite and the other involved in the loeal services and tourist industry, commented on Republican US presidential candidate Donald TRUMP’s prior activities in the city. … 2. Both knew TRUMP had visited St Petersburg on several occasions in the past and had been interested in doing business deals there involving real estate. The local business/political elite figure reported that TRUMP had paid bribes there to further his interests but very discreetly and only through affiliated companies, making it very hard to prove. The local services industry source reported that TRUMP had participated in sex parties in the city too, but that all direct witnesses to this recently had been “silenced” i.e. bribed or coerced to disappear. … 3. The two St Petersburg figures cited believed an Azeri business figure, Araz AGALAROV (with offices in Baku and London) had been closely involved with TRUMP in Russia and would know most of the details of what the Republican presidential candidate had got up to there. > > Speaking separately in confidence to a trusted compatriot in early October 2016, a senior Russian leadership figure and a Foreign Ministry official reported on recent developments concerning the Kremlin’s operation to support Republican candidate Donald TRUMP in the US presidential election. > > Speaking to a trusted compatriot in mid October, a close associate of Rosneft President and PUTIN all Igor’ SECHIN elaborated on the reported secret meeting between the later and Carter PAGE, of US Republican presidential candidate’s foreign policy team, in Moscow in July 2016. The secret meeting had been confirmed to him/her by a senior member of SECHIN’s staff, in addition to by the Rosneft President himself. It took place on either 7 or 8 July, the same day or the one after Carter PAGE made a public speech to the Higher Economic School in Moscow. > > Speaking separately to the same compatriot in mid-October 2016, a Kremlin insider with direct access to the leadership confirmed that a key role in the secret TRUMP campaign/Kremlin relationship was being played by the Re[publican candidate’s personal lawyer Michael COHEN. [redacted: two sentences] > > Speaking in confidence to a longstanding compatriot friend in mid October 2016, a Kremlin insider highlighted the importance of Republican presidential candidate Donald TRUMP’s lawyer, Michael COHEN. In the ongoing secret liaison relationship between the New York tycoon’s campaign and the Russian leadership, COHEN’s role had grown following the departure of Paul MANNAFORT as TRUMP’s campaign manager in August 2016. Prior to that MANNAFORT had led for the TRUMP side. … 2. According to the Kremlin insider, COHEN now was heavily engaged in a cover up and damage limitation operation in the attempt to prevent the full details of TRUMP’s relationship with Russia being exposed. In pursuit of this aim, COHEN had met secretly with several Russian Presidential Administration ¶ Legal Department officials in an EU country in August 2016. The immediate issues had been to contain further scandals involving MANNAFORT’s commercial and political role in Russia/Ukraine and to limit the damage arising from exposure of former TRUMP foreign policy advisor, Carter PAGE’s secret meetings with Russian leadership figures in Moscow the previous month. The overall objective had been to “to sweep it all under the carpet and make sure no connections could be fully established or proven”. > > Speaking to a compatriot and friend on 19 October 2016, a Kremlin insider provided further details of reported clandestine meeting/s between Republican presidential candidate, Donald TRUMP’s lawyer Michael COHEN and Kremlin representatives in August 2016. Although the communication between them had to be cryptic for security reasons, the Kremlin insider clearly indicated to his/her friend that the reported contact/s took place in Prague, Czech Republic. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2017, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/427 "2017-02-11T07:35:06Z")
Maddow’s report on Michael Flynn’s Russian contacts. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmLOaFkL1rc) ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2017, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/428 "2017-02-11T08:42:04Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Maddow’s report on Michael Flynn’s Russian contacts. > > [https://youtu.be/KmLOaFkL1rc](https://youtu.be/KmLOaFkL1rc) I’ve heard the name, Rachel Maddow, but (not owning a TV) this is the first time seeing her. Refreshing to see a person giving the news who seems to be doing more than moving the words from the teleprompter to their tongue. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2017, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/429 "2017-02-11T17:45:17Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > I’ve heard the name, Rachel Maddow, but (not owning a TV) this is the first time seeing her. > > Refreshing to see a person giving the news who seems to be doing more than moving the words from the teleprompter to their tongue. She’s great. She’s obviously biased to the left but, as far as I know, she’s never claimed otherwise and I’ve never seen her make stuff up out of whole cloth. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2017, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/430 "2017-02-11T18:26:56Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > She’s great. She’s obviously biased to the left but, as far as I know, she’s never claimed otherwise and I’ve never seen her make stuff up out of whole cloth. If you catch her show the first 20 minutes is usually an essay going deeper into stuff that is being ignored everywhere else. She has her eye on the ball. It’s really lazy to call her network the “opposite” of fox. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2017, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/431 "2017-02-11T18:27:01Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > I’ve heard the name, Rachel Maddow, but (not owning a TV) this is the first time seeing her. > > Refreshing to see a person giving the news who seems to be doing more than moving the words from the teleprompter to their tongue. Yeah I don’t watch regular tv anymore and certainly not political talking heads but I enjoy watching her pieces on Youtube. She’s pretty smart. I don’t like it when people call her “the liberal version” of the right’s pundits, who spew so much untruth. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2017, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/432 "2017-02-11T20:50:43Z")
With all due respect to Maddow: it does look as though far more, and more substantial, contacts between Trump’s campaign and Russian operatives have now been verified as having taken place, than we had previously realized. The question is–will there ever be a point at which Paul Ryan et al are embarrassed to go on supporting Trump? ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2017, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/433 "2017-02-11T21:09:22Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > The question is–will there ever be a point at which Paul Ryan et al are embarrassed to go on supporting Trump? After the campaign and everything that’s happened since, I’m pretty sure the answer to this question is “No”. Trump could be caught snorting coke off a dead girl and a live boy, using rolled up roubles as straws, then being pissed on by Vladimir Putin. And the next day, Ryan would say, “Clearly I don’t always agree with the President, but these stories are old news, and they’re not going to distract me from working with the President to repeal Obamacare and replace it with something really terrific.” ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2017, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/434 "2017-02-11T21:24:10Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > After the campaign and everything that’s happened since, I’m pretty sure the answer to this question is “No”. Trump could be caught snorting coke off a dead girl and a live boy, using rolled up roubles as straws, then being pissed on by Vladimir Putin. And the next day, Ryan would say, “Clearly I don’t always agree with the President, but these stories are old news, and they’re not going to distract me from working with the President to repeal Obamacare and replace it with something really terrific.” Yeah. _sigh_ I notice that he and McConnell and their general ilk have mastered the art of never saying Trump’s name, though. It’s always “The President,” as in your example. (And I bet that _does_ bother Trump.) If Congressional Democrats wanted to be petty (though they probably don’t), they could turn the GOP’s “Dems won’t say ‘Islamic Extremism’” meme right back on them: “When will a prominent Republican ever say the President’s name? What, are they _afraid_ to say his name???” ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2017, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/435 "2017-02-11T22:26:08Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > Yeah. _sigh_ > > I notice that he and McConnell and their general ilk have mastered the art of never saying Trump’s name, though. It’s always “The President,” as in your example. (And I bet that _does_ bother Trump.) > > If Congressional Democrats wanted to be petty (though they probably don’t), they could turn the GOP’s “Dems won’t say ‘Islamic Extremism’” meme right back on them: “When will a prominent Republican ever say the President’s name? What, are they _afraid_ to say his name???” Better than that; “When will they ever recognize home grown nationalist extremist terrorism”. We need to hang that around their neck and make them either wear it proudly or denounce it. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2017, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/436 "2017-02-11T22:33:19Z")
[Here is a nice primer](http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-russia-ties-michael-flynn-dossier-2017-2) on the players in the dossier that is now being taken more seriously. I’m starting to think that the US intelligence agencies are making sure that they have everything they need before making a move. If you shoot the king, don’t miss and all that. If they really have Flynn dead to rights, leaning on him might be sufficient to bring this thing down. I don’t get the feeling anyone is all that loyal to Mr. Trump. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2017, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/437 "2017-02-12T00:41:06Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > [Here is a nice primer](http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-russia-ties-michael-flynn-dossier-2017-2) on the players in the dossier that is now being taken more seriously. I’m starting to think that the US intelligence agencies are making sure that they have everything they need before making a move. If you shoot the king, don’t miss and all that. > > If they really have Flynn dead to rights, leaning on him might be sufficient to bring this thing down. I don’t get the feeling anyone is all that loyal to Mr. Trump. It goes against my instincts, but I’m really rooting for the intelligence community on this one. Sure, they engaged in warrantless surveillance. And, yeah, they ran secret prisons and tortured people. But I find myself in the uncomfortable position of hoping they can bail us out this time. Maybe they can unravel the whole Trump administration before things get any worse. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2017, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/438 "2017-02-12T01:45:43Z")
And suppose they do unravel it. Will anything be done aout it? Given the current Republican Party, instead of impeaching him, they may just say it’s all fake news, and Trump could pardon everyone involved. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2017, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/439 "2017-02-12T01:56:55Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > And suppose they do unravel it. Will anything be done aout it? Given the current Republican Party, instead of impeaching him, they may just say it’s all fake news, and Trump could pardon everyone involved. Can a President be tried by a regular court for bad stuff he did before taking office? In another thread, I scoffed at the idea of Trump quitting or the Republicans ever abandoning him. But if the CIA turns up overwhelming evidence of illegal interaction with the Russians prior to the election, what then? Honest questions. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2017, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/440 "2017-02-12T02:03:55Z")
I’m not positive but I think the only remedy is impeacment. If they refused to impeach, they could be faced with huge protests, maybe even rioting. If instead they did impeach, they could be faced with huge protests, maybe even rioting. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846.md?page=21) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846.md?page=23)