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NYT Fake News on Trump Campaign
Aides in Contact with Russian Intelligence


By Stephen Lendman
2-15-17

 
Throughout the presidential campaign, the Times was one-sidedly pro-Hillary, militantly anti-Trump - inventing reasons to denigrate him relentlessly.

Justifiable criticism is warranted. Trump’s post-inauguration record deserves plenty, exposing him as just another dirty politician so far.

Attacking him pre-election represented a concerted pro-Hillary effort, The Times and other media scoundrels serving as her press agent, abandoning journalism the way it’s supposed to be.

Fake news repeatedly substituted for the real thing, continuing against Trump post-inauguration - the latest example from the NYT on Tuesday, headlining “Trump Campaign Aides Had Repeated Contacts with Russian Intelligence.”

The Times report has a familiar aroma. If it walks like fake news, quacks like fake news, and looks like fake news, chances are it is.

Citing four unnamed current and former US officials, clearly anti-Trump ones wanting him delegitimized, The Times repeated the Big Lie about alleged Russian US election hacking, adding:

US “intelligence agencies…sought to learn whether the Trump campaign was colluding with the Russians on the hacking or other efforts to influence the election.”

“(N)o evidence of such cooperation” was found. Case closed? Not at all. Use of anonymous sources always raises red flags, especially on sensitive issues like ones surrounding Trump and US/Russia relations.

Dubious sources The Times cited expressed concern about Trump wanting improved relations with Russia along with his friendly outreach to Putin - sound policy, bad politics in Washington, the city of long knives claiming many victims.

Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort was named as one of aides in contact with Russian officials. He called the allegation “absurd,” saying:

“I have no idea what this is referring to. I have never knowingly spoken to Russian intelligence officers, and I have never been involved with anything to do with the Russian government or the Putin administration or any other issues under investigation today.”

Lots of Americans do business in Russia, as routinely as in many other countries. It doesn’t mean they’re colluding with their governments, at least not on matters unrelated to their business operations.

The Times report was long on dubious allegations, way short of hard evidence proving improper activities on the part of Trump’s campaign aides.

According to The Times, US “officials would not disclose many details, including what was discussed on the calls, the identity of the Russian intelligence officials who participated, and how many of Mr. Trump’s advisers were talking to the Russians. It is also unclear whether the conversations had anything to do with Mr. Trump himself.”

Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov blased The Times’ report, saying “(i)t’s difficult…tell(ing) the real deal from fakes and hoaxes.”

The issue at hand isn’t whether Trump campaign aides did or didn’t have contact with Russian officials or ones from any other country.

It’s all about delegitimizing him, a long-running coup d’etat scheme to replace him with a more easily controlled figure like Pence.

Eliminating Michael Flynn was a big step in this direction, perhaps other administration officials to follow, maybe key ones close to Trump like Steve Bannon, Reince Priebus, Kellyanne Conway, and his son-in-law Jared Kushner - even though by firing Flynn, he surrendered to dark forces running America.

Writer Finley Peter Dunne’s Mr. Dooley character once said in an 1895 newspaper column, “politics ain’t bean-bag.” Harry Truman once said if you want a friend in Washington, get a dog.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.