# Trump associates may have coordinated with Russians, according to US officials **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 23, 2017, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799 "2017-03-23T00:28:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 140
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2784 "2017-10-30T15:39:34Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Have to agree with that. This is more significant, Trump-wise, than the Manafort stuff. > > Have to see the details to know how significant, though. Details [here](https://www.justice.gov/file/1007346/download). Still somewhat unclear, as the indictment doesn’t describe the reaction of the Trump people to all these meetings Papadopolous was trying to set up. (None of them seem to have actually come off.) > [@GIGObuster](#): > > Perhaps, but as I pointed many times in the past, this is again a painful demonstration that Trump is grossly incompetent about the people he chooses to work with. Trump is grossly incompetent in all sorts of ways. Not exactly a big revelation there. Anyone who takes Trump being grossly incompetent as a revelation from the Manafort indictment has clearly not been following politics in the last couple of years. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2785 "2017-10-30T15:43:14Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Details [here](https://www.justice.gov/file/1007346/download). **Still somewhat unclear, as the indictment doesn’t describe the reaction of the Trump people to all these meetings Papadopolous was trying to set up.** (None of them seem to have actually come off.)Trump is grossly incompetent in all sorts of ways. Not exactly a big revelation there. Anyone who takes Trump being grossly incompetent as a revelation from the Manafort indictment has clearly not been following politics in the last couple of years. It’s the attempt, not the success that counts. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2786 "2017-10-30T15:44:35Z")
It’s hard to keep this all straight without spending lots of time on it. But didn’t Kushner’s infamous meeting with Russian agents happen after the stuff described in this plea? ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2787 "2017-10-30T15:48:57Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > It’s the attempt, not the success that counts. From Papadopolous’ perspective, yes. (He’s not being charged with trying to set anything up anyway - he’s charged with lying about it.) But if the question is about to what extent other Trump people were complicit in it, then the issue is what their reaction was. > [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > It’s hard to keep this all straight without spending lots of time on it. But didn’t Kushner’s infamous meeting with Russian agents happen after the stuff described in this plea? I believe so. But based on both this document and the reports about that meeting, it appears that that was not connected to Papadopolous’ efforts. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2788 "2017-10-30T15:57:06Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > But based on both this document and the reports about that meeting, it appears that that was not connected to Papadopolous’ efforts. Doesn’t look that way to me. Much depends on what Papadopolous told people about what he had heard. Based on the indictment, seems likely that folks who attended the later Russia meeting knew what had been dangled for Papadopolous. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2789 "2017-10-30T15:58:00Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > It’s hard to keep this all straight without spending lots of time on it. But didn’t Kushner’s infamous meeting with Russian agents happen after the stuff described in this plea? Podesta emails were hacked in [March 19th](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podesta_emails) (Wiki). [Papadopoulous met with an unnamed London professor who, March 21st, introduced him to an “unnamed Russian” who was described as being a relative of Putin’s](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/30/us/politics/george-papadopoulos-russia.html). Ten days later, he sat in a meeting wtih Trump and said he had connections with Putin where he could use secure meeting with Trump. The professor said, during the meeting, “They have dirt on her. Thousands of documents.” (her=HRC) The big secret meeting occurred in June. ---
**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:** [October 30, 2017, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2790 "2017-10-30T16:03:29Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Podesta emails were hacked in [March 19th](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podesta_emails) (Wiki). [Papadopoulous met with an unnamed London professor who said they had Clinton emails on March 21st](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-10-30/trump-foreign-policy-adviser-pleaded-guilty-in-mueller-probe). Ten days later, he sat in a meeting wtih Trump and said he had connections with Putin where he could use secure meeting with Trump. > > The big secret meeting occurred in June. Well, sure, when you say it like _that_ it sounds bad… ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2791 "2017-10-30T16:05:16Z")
Interesting bit in the Papadopolous indictment, the Russians offered stolen emails to the campaign in March 2016, long before wikileaks got them. The Trump campaign knew the Russians stole them. They knew the Russians had them. They knew all this before the DNC knew, before Crowdstrike knew, before anyone knew. When they came out on wikileaks, they knew where they were from. And they have lied about it for a year and a half. “It coulda been anybody.” Not only did they know, they knew while the theft was ongoing. Oh and Papadopolous has obviously flipped. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2792 "2017-10-30T16:13:25Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > From Papadopolous’ perspective, yes. (He’s not being charged with trying to set anything up anyway - he’s charged with lying about it.) But if the question is about to what extent other Trump people were complicit in it, then the issue is what their reaction was. > > I believe so. But based on both this document and the reports about that meeting, it appears that that was not connected to Papadopolous’ efforts. “Through his false statements and omissions, defendant PAPADOPOULOS impeded the FBI’s ongoing investigation into the existence of any links or coordination between individuals associated with the Campaign and the Russian government’s efforts to interfere with the 2016 presidential election.” He’s charged with impeding the ongoing investigation into Russian collusion with the Trump campaign. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2793 "2017-10-30T16:15:58Z")
What’s your point? ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2794 "2017-10-30T16:19:33Z")
That they are specifically stating that his lies were to impede the investigation of others in the campaign. He is now cooperating. No more lies. More charges are coming. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2795 "2017-10-30T16:20:49Z")
I believe your first sentence is incorrect. And even if it weren’t, the rest is speculation. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2796 "2017-10-30T16:24:44Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > I believe your first sentence is incorrect. And even if it weren’t, the rest is speculation. He has a plea deal. That’s not speculation. You reckon the FBI gave him a plea deal because he doesn’t have anyone else to offer? Fine, that’s speculation in the strictest sense of the word. I’m speculating his plea involves giving additional information and that will come to light on a day that I’m speculating that the sun will rise. ---
**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:** [October 30, 2017, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2797 "2017-10-30T16:25:10Z")
Over at TPM, Josh Marshall [argues](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/thoughts-on-the-papadopolous-plea) that Mueller timed the release of the Papadopolous plea to “sucker punch” the White House. He thinks Mueller let the expected Manafort news out, got the expected response, then brought the real heat with the Papadopolous reveal. > [@](#): > > Papadopolous was arrested in July and has apparently been cooperating since. He pled guilty I see no purely legal reason why the news of his arrest in July and plea in early October had to be revealed today, other than keeping the news from Manafort. One other potential reason is that one of the ‘campaign officials’ referenced in the Papadopolous plea appears to be Manafort. It sends two clear messages. First, we’re not at all done with collusion and we’re making progress. Second, we arrested Papadopolous in July and he pled out in October and no one knew. So don’t think you have any idea what we have. (The “He pled guilty I see…” is in the original. I assume “He pled guilty” was meant to be edited out since the sentence reads fine without it. Or maybe he just dropped a period after "He pled guilty).) ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2798 "2017-10-30T16:30:14Z")
My only regret is that Okra didn’t live long enough to see this. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2799 "2017-10-30T16:31:13Z")
He’s watching over us from above. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2800 "2017-10-30T16:32:31Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > My only regret is that Okra didn’t live long enough to see this. “ooooooh… nothiiiiing buurrrrrger!” _\_ ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2801 "2017-10-30T16:32:36Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > My only regret is that Okra didn’t live long enough to see this. Wait. He got banned? I have a Trump bet with him. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2802 "2017-10-30T16:34:19Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > My only regret is that Okra didn’t live long enough to see this. 1. Didn’t he make a bet with someone here over whether there’d be indictments or not over this investigation? I seem to recall **Bricker** holding the money in escrow. 2. I’m sure he can still read this and I hope he’s just itching like hell to respond here. 3. Hi **okra!** ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2803 "2017-10-30T16:34:40Z")
[Fascinating details coming](http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/30/politics/russia-investigation-manafort-latest/?lf-content=222696360:lb-post-1bcf3f304c0ce48ce444efe2b839f525@livefyre.com&hubRefSrc=permalink)out about Papadopoulos; > [@](#): > > On or about July 14, 2106 Papadopoulos emailed FC2 and proposed a “meeting for August or September in the UK (London) with me and my national chairman, and maybe one other foreign policy advisor and you, members of President Putin’s office and the mfa to hold a day of consultations and to meet one another. It has been approved from our side.” “It has been approved by our side”. In other words, others knew about the Trump campaign working closely with the Russians. And they’ve been lying about it since. At it certainly appears that they KNEW THIS WAS WRONG, and were trying to ensure that it was kept under the radar: > [@](#): > > George Papadopoulos in May sent an email to a “high-ranking Campaign official” with subject line “Request from Russia to meet Mr. Trump.” The email said Russia was eager to meet with the candidate and had been reaching out. > > In a footnote, the FBI statement notes that the email was forwarded between campaign officials and who wrote they should discuss: > > “We need someone to communicate that DT is not doing these trips. It should be someone low level in the campaign so as not to send any signal.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799.md?page=139) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799.md?page=141)