CIA Makes Conflicting Statements about Russia's Role in US Election

The Dems are still grasping at straws to somehow prove that Donald Trump’s victory was a fluke.

Many are blaming Russia, claiming the embarrassing emails released by WikiLeaks were hacked by Moscow in an attempt to get Donald Trump in the White House.  

Russia has repeatedly been blamed for the hacking incidents that exposed campaign chairman John Podesta’s private emails and uncovered widespread corruption among top DNC officials. One email proved that Hillary Clinton had access to debate questions ahead of a town hall appearance; another produced the text of the private speeches she delivered to Wall Street banks. 

Whether or not Russia is responsible, the information contained in those emails led to tangible results – including Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s “retirement” from her position as DNC chairwoman. 

Director of National Intelligence (DNI) James Clapper announced in mid-October that the intelligence community was confident “that the Russian government directed the recent compromises of emails from US persons and institutions, including from US political organizations.” 

Last week, The Washington Post announced that the CIA had linked some of the individuals responsible for providing the emails to WikiLeaks to the Russian government – therefore “proving” that the Putin regime led an attack on Democrats to help Trump win the election. 

It is not clear why the CIA waited until after the election to produce this assessment, but “the conclusion that Moscow ran an operation to help install the next president is one of the most consequential analyses by American spy agencies in years,” reports The New York Times. 

Whatever report the CIA produced, however, was not based on new evidence. And DNI Clapper’s words to Congress during a hearing shortly after the election prove the report wasn’t conclusive:

“As far as the WikiLeaks connection, the evidence there is not as strong and we don’t have good insight into the sequencing of the releases or when the data may have been provided. We don’t have as good insight into that.”

Russia continues to deny any and all involvement with the hacking incidents and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange says he did not receive any emails from people connected to the Russia government.

Trump also insists that Russia was not involved. “I think it’s ridiculous. I think it’s just another excuse. I don’t believe it,” he said.

President Obama has tasked our intelligence agencies to continue the investigation and report back to him before he leaves office next month. The FBI insists that it will charge Russia with specific crimes if it uncovers the evidence to do so.

Meanwhile, some Republicans suspect that the campaign against Russia is a Democratic strategy to delegitimize Trump’s presidency before it even begins.

“Russia had nothing to do with the fact that Hillary Clinton didn’t resonate with the right voters the same way Donald trump did,” argues Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA). “The idea that Trump’s victory, and thereby voter judgment, was guided by Russia is a slap in the face of the American electorate. Trump won because he had a winning message and he’s got the backbone to see it through.”