# 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:** 175
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2018, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/3484 "2018-01-06T20:40:34Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > The hope, of course, is that Steele–as well as other potential witnesses to Trump-&-Trump-associates-misconduct/criminality–will be intimidated by the _'we will imprison you if you dare to testify_’ message implicit in this recommendation that charges be filed. Except, of course, that judging from Steele’s career and reputation, he’s perfectly capable of knowing just what he might be on the hook for, which means it’s an idiotic card to play against him. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2018, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/3485 "2018-01-06T20:44:53Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Is Steele even an American citizen? > > If not, then not only does he have even less if a dog in this fight, but he could presumably say anything he could ever dream of to the FBI, on British soil, and he couldn’t be charged with a single thing. > > Demonstrating that he told one lie might discredit his information, but all of his information was gossip and rumors to begin with, and never said to be more than that. As has been pointed out, Steele is a British citizen. He is out of reach of any American prosecution. Especially a made-up one. He is also a well-respected retired MI-6 intelligence officer. He worked with the FBI on other matters, including the FIFA corruption scandal. He was considered expert in Russian intelligence by his own intelligence agency, was assigned as a case officer in the Alexander Litvinenko polonium poisoning and who was the first to identify that poisoning as a Russian hit job. He spent a career cultivating important, high contacts/sources for intelligence within the Russian system. Steele was hired by Fusion GPS to investigate Trump’s persistent and wide-ranging connections to Russians. What he learned so alarmed him that he independently, and without having notified Fusion GPS, handed his collection of raw intelligence memos over to an FBI contact in Rome in July of 2016. However, those memos, now collectively referred to as the “dossier,” did not make their way to the FBI agents _who were already investigating Trump’s Russian connections_ until October of 2016. It took so long due to the fact that the FBI Trump investigation was a secret even within the agency. Have you read the dossier? You should. It’s [readily available online in .pdf format](https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/3259984/Trump-Intelligence-Allegations.pdf) and has been since Buzz Feed initially released it in full on January 10, 2017. As I have previously noted in this thread, the FBI has never relied on the Steele dossier to any extent other than a potential road map to verify its contents as verified true, verified untrue and unverified. To date, assertions contained in the Steele dossier fall under only two of those categories: Verified true and unverified. Nothing has been shown to be untrue of which I’m aware. So… that’s a far cry from “gossip and rumors,” as you characterize his writings. The letter from the two corrupt Republican senators, G&G, for a criminal referral for an FBI investigation, is a baldly partisan distraction tactic. To smear and scapegoat Steele as they are attempting to do is a disgrace in every way, as well as a damaging disservice to our own intelligence relationships throughout the world. All done to save their own worthless necks and that of a dementia-riddled, has-been, old, defiled, spoiled pretend-businessman who bullshitted his way into the Oval Office by whipping up latent nationalism/racism with a big assist from the Russians, and provided Republicans with the only opportunity to pass their disgusting “legislation” they will have for… well, hopefully, ever again. It is hard for me to express how sickened I am at the cavalier willingness of Republican congress members to destroy lifelong careers and reputations of people whose only “crime” was to dedicate themselves to public service. ---
**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:** [January 6, 2018, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/3486 "2018-01-06T20:49:14Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Except, of course, that judging from Steele’s career and reputation, he’s perfectly capable of knowing just what he might be on the hook for, which means it’s an idiotic card to play against him. That could well be true. But the intimidation tactic may still work against other potential witnesses. The very ridiculousness of the idea of charges being filed against Steele shows that the GOP will stop at nothing–at _nothing_–to protect their project of ending the rule of law, with Trump as that project’s emblem and figurehead. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2018, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/3487 "2018-01-06T21:32:04Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > That’s probably one aim, but regardless of whether they achieve it, what is increasingly likely is that Republican party, if left in power, will achieve the complete politicization of the criminal justice process at the federal level. This partisan rendering of justice has been going on for some time but really got out of control with the Bengazi probe. It’s a continuation of that trend, and it promises to get worse. Republicans believe in the rule of people, not the rule of law. They believe that whoever has the power should be able to use it any way they see fit – unless of course they are not in power. I appreciate this post a lot, I like what you say here. But I wil nit pick one thing, if I understand it correctly. (I may have it wrong.) That Republicans believe in the rule of people. If this is to imply the voice, or will of people is respected then I disagree. The Republican attempts at restricting voting access speaks to their true belief about the voice of the people. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2018, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/3488 "2018-01-06T21:43:48Z")
I appreciate **asahi** ’s post, too. However, I would change the phrase, “Republicans believe in the rule of people,” to, “Republicans believe in the rule of plutocrats.” Trump doesn’t just admire Putin. He wants to _be_ Putin. In a rare but scary coalescence of interests among Trumpians, Russians and establishment Republicans, they are working hard to make this a reality. They have one year to accomplish as much as they can. Expect a lot of jaw-dropping moves. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2018, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/3489 "2018-01-06T22:21:07Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > The very ridiculousness of the idea of charges being filed against Steele shows that the GOP will stop at nothing–at _nothing_–to protect their project of ending the rule of law, with Trump as that project’s emblem and figurehead. Color me utterly unsurprised. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2018, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/3490 "2018-01-06T22:34:57Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > I appreciate **asahi** ’s post, too. However, I would change the phrase, “Republicans believe in the rule of people,” to, “Republicans believe in the rule of plutocrats.” I guess what I meant was “Rule of Man” versus rule of law. I’m not sure that Republicans believe in the complete dismantling of democracy outright - they might still believe in a democracy but one that resembles the elitist and exclusive 18th and 19th Century version of it than the modern one which recognize as our own. Maybe a democracy for property owners only and who can afford to pay poll taxes - that kind of thing. > [@Aspenglow](#): > > Trump doesn’t just admire Putin. He wants to _be_ Putin. In a rare but scary coalescence of interests among Trumpians, Russians and establishment Republicans, they are working hard to make this a reality. They have one year to accomplish as much as they can. **Expect a lot of jaw-dropping moves**. Anyone who believes that a pluralistic democracy ought to run like a business or like the military is going to have at least some contempt for democracy and will resist conforming to democratic norms. Dwight Eisenhower is a notable exception - probably because he saw firsthand the personal price that millions paid to ensure that Europe and North America remained democratic. In any case, I agree with the portion I put in bold: we’re going to see an even more aggressive all-out assault on democratic norms this year. I wouldn’t be surprised if Hillary Clinton is indicted for something. I wouldn’t be surprised if Barack Obama and Eric Holder were targeted for a criminal probe. But more worrisome are the elections in November - I suspect Putin has a trick up his sleeve and Republicans, believing they can benefit from Putin in the short run, probably would welcome Russian efforts to hack voting booths and sow chaos. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2018, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/3491 "2018-01-06T23:14:37Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > In any case, I agree with the portion I put in bold: we’re going to see an even more aggressive all-out assault on democratic norms this year. I wouldn’t be surprised if Hillary Clinton is indicted for something. I wouldn’t be surprised if Barack Obama and Eric Holder were targeted for a criminal probe. But more worrisome are the elections in November - I suspect Putin has a trick up his sleeve and Republicans, believing they can benefit from Putin in the short run, probably would welcome Russian efforts to hack voting booths and sow chaos. I think these things are potentially true as well. That’s why November _must_ be a wave election, one so massive that it will overwhelm gerrymandering and close races. You can’t easily fix an election if it isn’t close. If exit polling tells one story and the vote tally tells another, especially when people are already worried and suspicious about results, well… recount and/or investigation. There’s a [rather fabulous initiative on Michigan’s next ballot](https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2017/12/18/gerrymander-redistricting-michigan-petition-constitutional-amendment/962509001/) that puts redistricting back in the hands of regular citizens rather than politicians, by way of an amendment to Michigan’s Constitution. It could be a process for other states to follow. I hope so. There are [efforts underway](https://www.brennancenter.org/analysis/current-citizen-efforts-reform-redistricting) in other states, including Missouri, Colorado, Ohio and Oregon. I’m less worried about Russians physically hacking voting machines. That’s because it really is not that easy to do, especially if there are paper ballots for backup and if citizens are paying attention. They will be paying attention. Nevertheless, the Russians will continue to weaponize and amplify memes and target Americans with propaganda meant to influence their beliefs and choices. These practices remain a huge worry. I don’t think any American politicians will again work with Russia to assist. But Russia – along with China, North Korea and others – now know how effective Russia’s efforts were. Those efforts will be definitely continue into 2018 and beyond. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2018, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/3492 "2018-01-07T00:02:06Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > I’m less worried about Russians physically hacking voting machines. That’s because it really is not that easy to do, especially if there are paper ballots for backup and if citizens are paying attention. They will be paying attention. They don’t have to be that successful at actually hacking the machines or hacking into voter databases; they just have to be noticed in enough places for people to have serious concerns (i.e. doubts) about the outcome. They could start in the weeks before the election. Then election officials in Republican “red” or even “purple” states notice irregularities and then begin making a stink about it in the media. Even if Republicans lose next November, maybe Republicans claim that the elections are a sham. It would paralyze the already polarized politics in this country. > [@Aspenglow](#): > > Nevertheless, the Russians will continue to weaponize and amplify memes and target Americans with propaganda meant to influence their beliefs and choices. These practices remain a huge worry. I don’t think any American politicians will again work with Russia to assist. But Russia – along with China, North Korea and others – now know how effective Russia’s efforts were. Those efforts will be definitely continue into 2018 and beyond. I think North Korea has a singular focus, which is its weapons program. It hacks for money as a way to beat sanctions. I doubt China would go that far because they still see the US as a trading partner, even if relations are tense at the moment. But Putin is at war with the United States and has been for at least 4 years and probably even going back to 2008. Putin has given up on any sort of partnership with the US because he fears American power can be used to eventually strengthen his enemies. Consequently, he wants to neutralize our ability to do that. He can’t use military power - at least not against us directly. What he can do is use military power closer to home, but more than that, he can use cyber-warfare and information warfare. From where he stands, the best way to neutralize American’s ability to interfere with Russian affairs and Russia’s involvement in regional matters…is to have America end up fighting itself. His background is intelligence. He knows a thing or two about how to make that happen. I don’t pretend to know what his master plan is, but it has occurred to me more than once that having America question the results of its elections and having Americans doubt their public institutions is a potentially damn effective way to encourage Americans to fight with each other. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2018, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/3493 "2018-01-07T02:19:46Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > I guess what I meant was “Rule of Man” versus rule of law. I’m not sure that Republicans believe in the complete dismantling of democracy outright - they might still believe in a democracy but one that resembles the elitist and exclusive 18th and 19th Century version of it than the modern one which recognize as our own. Maybe a democracy for property owners only and who can afford to pay poll taxes - that kind of thing. Of course they do. Democracy to them means that their preferences rule. As soon as someone who opposes them tries to change policy, democracy goes completely out the window. \ Obama \. > [@](#): > > In any case, I agree with the portion I put in bold: we’re going to see an even more aggressive all-out assault on democratic norms this year. I wouldn’t be surprised if Hillary Clinton is indicted for something. I wouldn’t be surprised if Barack Obama and Eric Holder were targeted for a criminal probe. But more worrisome are the elections in November - I suspect Putin has a trick up his sleeve and Republicans, believing they can benefit from Putin in the short run, probably would welcome Russian efforts to hack voting booths and sow chaos. Absolutely. They don’t care how they win, as long as they win. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2018, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/3494 "2018-01-07T15:50:32Z")
Stephen Miller went to [great lengths](http://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2018/01/07/white-house-adviser-stephen-miller-full-interview-sotu.cnn) to not answer the direct question of “Did Trump meet with the Russians that day at the Trump Tower?” His avoidance of the question could be simply answered as “no”, so why not do that? ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2018, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/3495 "2018-01-07T19:41:02Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > I have a theory about Grassley/Graham’s referral for investigation. It’s stupid. I mean Nunes level stupid. So stupid that it may be true. I have a theory too. Graham’s turnaround on Trump has been pretty startling. From unfit, to acceptable. Interestingly, Graham’s emails are one of the few from the GOP side that we know were [hacked](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/10/us/politics/russia-hack-hearing-clapper-rogers-brennan.html?mtrref=t.co): \* "Federal investigators have said that a single email server used by that contractor had been penetrated. But it was going out of service and contained outdated material that the Russians probably found to be of little value. People with direct knowledge of the server’s contents said it had been used by Senators Lindsey Graham and John McCain. An aide in Mr. Graham’s office said the hacking of the email server in question occurred in June. The Graham campaign was using the server to send news clips and campaign releases, the aide said."\* Maybe, Mr. Graham doesn’t want that information getting out there. To point out the obvious, he has pinged more than a few people’s gaydar over the years, and that (unlike pedophilia) is a career ender in the GOP. ---
**Author:** ![Randolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Randolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randolph)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2018, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/3496 "2018-01-07T20:11:16Z")
[Bannon Tries Backing Away From Explosive Comments](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/07/us/politics/stephen-miller-cnn-trump-bannon-apology.html) > [@The New York Times](#): > > Isolated from his political allies and cut off from his financial patrons, Stephen K. Bannon, President Trump’s former chief strategist, issued a striking mea culpa on Sunday for comments he had made that were critical of the president’s eldest son. > Mr. Bannon, who is quoted in a new book calling Donald Trump Jr.’s meeting with Russians in 2016 “treasonous,” tried to reverse his statements completely, saying that the younger Mr. Trump was “both a patriot and a good man.” Mr. Bannon spoke out after five days of silence, a delay that he said he regretted. > > He said his reference to “treason” had not been aimed at the president’s son, but at another campaign official who attended the 2016 Trump Tower meeting, Paul Manafort. > > “My comments were aimed at Paul Manafort, a seasoned campaign professional with experience and knowledge of how the Russians operate,” Mr. Bannon said, in a statement first reported by Axios. “He should have known they are duplicitous, cunning and not our friends. To reiterate, those comments were not aimed at Don Jr.” Money changes everything. (Except character.) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2018, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/3497 "2018-01-07T22:49:37Z")
Hahaha I love to see Bannon squirm like the worm that he is. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/3498 "2018-01-08T02:52:15Z")
The Trump - Bannon feud is worth a bucket of popcorn, but all of this drama about the Trump White House is missing the point. The real story is…the collapse of the American state. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/3499 "2018-01-08T03:35:29Z")
The funny part of the Bannon - Trump feud - a) Trump claims the book is complete fiction b) The source of the feud with Bannon comes from the book. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/3500 "2018-01-08T04:29:53Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > The Trump - Bannon feud is worth a bucket of popcorn, but all of this drama about the Trump White House is missing the point. The real story is…the collapse of the American state. Trust me, I never forget that. But I need to draw satisfaction where I can get it in the interim. And it won’t really collapse, just be suspended for the duration of Numbnuts’ term. Then follows the many years of work in undoing the damage he’ll do. ---
**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:** [January 10, 2018, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/3501 "2018-01-10T00:59:05Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > I have a theory too. Graham’s turnaround on Trump has been pretty startling. From unfit, to acceptable. > > Interestingly, Graham’s emails are one of the few from the GOP side that we know were [hacked](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/10/us/politics/russia-hack-hearing-clapper-rogers-brennan.html?mtrref=t.co): > \* > "Federal investigators have said that a single email server used by that contractor had been penetrated. But it was going out of service and contained outdated material that the Russians probably found to be of little value. People with direct knowledge of the server’s contents said it had been used by Senators Lindsey Graham and John McCain. > > An aide in Mr. Graham’s office said the hacking of the email server in question occurred in June. The Graham campaign was using the server to send news clips and campaign releases, the aide said."\* > > Maybe, Mr. Graham doesn’t want that information getting out there. To point out the obvious, he has pinged more than a few people’s gaydar over the years, and that (unlike pedophilia) is a career ender in the GOP. After that one House Congressman with a fetish for Russia went to meet Julian Assange to get “evidence that a non-Russian actor had done the DNC hack”, I think I suggested that he would almost certainly not come back with any such proof, but that he might come back with blackmail material. It’s probably in this thread that I said it. Hopefully, Mueller is investigating that guy, too. (Based on Graham’s looks, I’d personally guess him to be a transman.) ---
**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:** [January 10, 2018, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/3502 "2018-01-10T02:15:20Z")
Simpson’s testimony talks about [HRAGI](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-21/russia-funded-adoption-group-is-said-to-draw-mueller-scrutiny) - some more news that I missed back in December. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2018, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/3503 "2018-01-10T04:29:25Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > …(Based on Graham’s looks, I’d personally guess him to be a transman.) Shit, stand him next to Trey Gowdy, its like Ru Paul and Charles Bronson! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799.md?page=174) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799.md?page=176)