# 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:** 23
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/442 "2017-06-29T21:51:46Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > [https://www.wsj.com/articles/gop-operative-sought-clinton-emails-from-hackers-implied-a-connection-to-flynn-1498770851](https://www.wsj.com/articles/gop-operative-sought-clinton-emails-from-hackers-implied-a-connection-to-flynn-1498770851) > > Boom Horrible. How is that different from New York Times and Washington Post obtaining and publishing Edward-Snowden-stolen documents? Boom. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/443 "2017-06-29T21:57:20Z")
I’m not surprised that is your spin. If you wait a few hours then the official obfuscation points will be released. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/444 "2017-06-29T22:04:15Z")
Because the important thing to remember is that both sides do it. A spoonful, a dump truck, alla same. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/445 "2017-06-29T22:10:26Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > Horrible. How is that different from New York Times and Washington Post obtaining and publishing Edward-Snowden-stolen documents? > > Boom. The important thing is to remember that Trump must always be defended, no matter what is revealed or what he says or does. No criticism must stand. Liberals are always evil no matter what. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/446 "2017-06-29T22:16:34Z")
It’s probably just fake news from the well known left leaning Rupert Murdoch owned Wall Street Journal. Or something. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/447 "2017-06-29T22:20:21Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > I’m not surprised that is your spin. If you wait a few hours then the official obfuscation points will be released. > [@elucidator](#): > > Because the important thing to remember is that both sides do it. A spoonful, a dump truck, alla same. > [@iiandyiiii](#): > > The important thing is to remember that Trump must always be defended, no matter what is revealed or what he says or does. No criticism must stand. Liberals are always evil no matter what. > [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > It’s probably just fake news from the well known left leaning Rupert Murdoch owned Wall Street Journal. Or something. So - no response to my question then? How is that different from New York Times and Washington Post obtaining and publishing Edward-Snowden-stolen documents? Or for that matter obtaining and publishing **those same Clinton’s emails**? ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/448 "2017-06-29T22:22:38Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > So - no response to my question then? How is that different from New York Times and Washington Post obtaining and publishing Edward-Snowden-stolen documents? Or for that matter obtaining and publishing **those same Clinton’s emails**? No response to my question posted before the evidence of collusion that just came out? > [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Would any of our local Trump fans be willing to state that if there is evidence of collusion that this is a big deal? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/449 "2017-06-29T22:22:40Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > So - no response to my question then? How is that different from New York Times and Washington Post obtaining and publishing Edward-Snowden-stolen documents? Or for that matter obtaining and publishing **those same Clinton’s emails**? Why does this matter? I’m not sure if it’s any different at all. When newspapers get newsworthy documents, they publish them. That’s how news works. Always has, always will. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/450 "2017-06-29T22:31:53Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Why does this matter? I’m not sure if it’s any different at all. When newspapers get newsworthy documents, they publish them. That’s how news works. Always has, always will. So it’s not different. Ho hum. That’s what I said. The “Boom” part was funny though. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/451 "2017-06-29T22:35:07Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > So it’s not different. Ho hum. That’s what I said. The “Boom” part was funny though. I thought you were complaining about process. In content? It’s different in many ways – a GOP operative was working with outside (and possibly Russian) hackers to try and discredit political opponents. That’s different. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/452 "2017-06-29T22:47:31Z")
The person at the heart of this story is described as “a veteran GOP opposition researcher”. It’d be interesting to find out that this wasn’t Trump collusion as much as GOP collusion with Trump’s approval. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/453 "2017-06-29T22:49:30Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > So - no response to my question then? How is that different from New York Times and Washington Post obtaining and publishing Edward-Snowden-stolen documents? Or for that matter obtaining and publishing **those same Clinton’s emails**? Are you in favor of Snowden’s leaks? I think they damaged our national security. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/454 "2017-06-29T23:04:43Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I thought you were complaining about process. In content? It’s different in many ways – a GOP operative was working with outside (and possibly Russian) hackers to try and discredit political opponents. That’s different. Huh? Hackers steal emails. “GOP operative” obtains them and publishes them. That’s bad. Hackers steal emails. NYC and WaPo obtain them and publish them. That’s ok. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/455 "2017-06-29T23:11:45Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > Huh? > > Hackers steal emails. “GOP operative” obtains them and publishes them. That’s bad. > > Hackers steal emails. NYC and WaPo obtain them and publish them. That’s ok. Journalists are not political operatives. If a political operative was coordinating with foreign agents do discredit an opponent, that’s different than a journalist trying to find info to publish to inform the public. The new defense seems to be “Trump or his team may have coordinated with Russia, but that’s no big deal”. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/456 "2017-06-29T23:13:33Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Journalists are not political operatives. If a political operative was coordinating with foreign agents do discredit an opponent, that’s different than a journalist trying to find info to publish to inform the public. What if a political operative “tries to find info to publish to inform the public”? Or is that privilege reserved for “journalists”? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/457 "2017-06-29T23:14:35Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > What if a political operative “tries to find info to publish to inform the public”? Or is that privilege reserved for “journalists”? Then we laugh heartily, since that isn’t something that political operatives do. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/458 "2017-06-29T23:27:33Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > Huh? > > Hackers steal emails. “GOP operative” obtains them and publishes them. That’s bad. > > Hackers steal emails. NYC and WaPo obtain them and publish them. That’s ok. So you are in favor of Snowden’s leaks. I had no idea you’d be such a Glenn Greenwald fan, but there it is in black and white. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/459 "2017-06-29T23:48:36Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > So you are in favor of Snowden’s leaks. I had no idea you’d be such a Glenn Greenwald fan, but there it is in black and white. I have a problem with Snowden’s leaks, and I have a problem with hackers stealing emails. Both are crimes. I have a problem with crimes. I do not have a problem with publishing those once they become available. That’s not a crime. ---
**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:** [June 30, 2017, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/460 "2017-06-30T02:36:28Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > I don’t think McCaskill was lying. She meets with literally thousands of people. So does Sessions. And Sessions forgets _any_ meetings with the Russian ambassador, in front of the Senate? A previous member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, who would have no choice but to know who he was? Bullshit. He didn’t want anything to get in the way of his being confirmed, so he lied. (He may have had other motivations, but that one’s obvious.) You really must think I’m either as gullible as your base or just plain stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2017, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/462 "2017-06-30T15:30:32Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > [https://www.wsj.com/articles/gop-operative-sought-clinton-emails-from-hackers-implied-a-connection-to-flynn-1498770851](https://www.wsj.com/articles/gop-operative-sought-clinton-emails-from-hackers-implied-a-connection-to-flynn-1498770851) > > Boom For what it’s worth (and so far he hasn’t been messing around), the [tick/boom](https://twitter.com/benjaminwittes/status/880737797551919104) guy is vouching for another person’s “tick, tick, tick” prediction. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799.md?page=22) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799.md?page=24)