Journalist Matt Taibbi on Thursday released part 14 of the “Twitter Files,” showing how congressional Democrats tried to discredit a report by then-California Rep. Devin Nunes regarding the federal government’s Trump-Russia investigation.
Emails show how the lawmakers crafted and pushed a narrative claiming Russian bots were responsible for bolstering claims in the report by Nunes, who at the time was chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.
The report criticized the federal government’s so-call Russia-Trump 2016 presidential campaign collusion probe.
The lawmakers pushed the narrative, despite Twitter telling them the Kremlin had no involvement in the issue.
1.THREAD: Twitter Files #14
THE RUSSIAGATE LIES
One: The Fake Tale of Russian Bots and the #ReleaseTheMemo Hashtag— Matt Taibbi (@mtaibbi) January 12, 2023
https://t.co/0PUOm212iv a crucial moment in a years-long furor, Democrats denounced a report about flaws in the Trump-Russia investigation, saying it was boosted by Russian “bots” and “trolls.”
— Matt Taibbi (@mtaibbi) January 12, 2023
3.Twitter officials were aghast, finding no evidence of Russian influence:
“We are feeding congressional trolls.”
“Not any…significant activity connected to Russia.”
“Putting the cart before the horse assuming this is propaganda/bots.” pic.twitter.com/r8O21QacME— Matt Taibbi (@mtaibbi) January 12, 2023
4.Twitter warned politicians and media the not only lacked evidence, but had evidence the accounts weren’t Russian – and were roundly ignored.
— Matt Taibbi (@mtaibbi) January 12, 2023
Taibbi’s Twitter thread, which included over 30 separate posts in total, also went on to state “Twitter warned politicians and media the not only lacked evidence, but had evidence the accounts weren’t Russian – and were roundly ignored.”
Despite the fact that Nunes’ “assertions would virtually all be verified in a report by Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz in December 2019,” the national media moved to discredit it with a coordinated effort of negative headlines, Taibbi also tweeted.
The politicians cited as having been involved in pushing the false narrative are Democrat Sens. Richard Blumenthal, of Connecticut, Dianne Feinstein, of California and Rep. Adam Schiff, also from California.
9.On January 23rd, 2018, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) published an open letter saying the hashtag “gained the immediate attention and assistance of social media accounts linked to Russian influence operations.” pic.twitter.com/kOC3ab6mXS
— Matt Taibbi (@mtaibbi) January 12, 2023
Blumenthal, for his part, published “a letter saying, “We find it reprehensible that Russian agents have so eagerly manipulated innocent Americans.”
Despite different approaches, all three lawmakers cited the same source when making overtures about Russian interference – which was “the Hamilton 68 dashboard created by former FBI counterintelligence official Clint Watts, under the auspices of the Alliance for Securing Democracy (ASD),” according to Taibbi.
Taibbi also wrote that Twitter “investigated” and ‘found that engagement [for the memo] as overwhelmingly organic, and driven by VITs’ – Very Important Tweeters, including Wikileaks and congressman Steve King.”
One executive at Twitter went so far as to begin bargaining so Blumenthal would back off, suggesting the company promise him something later in return.
“It seems like there are other wins we could offer him,” the message reads.
Twitter executives then expressed frustration with the time, money and resources spent following up on the lawmakers’ claims, saying “We can’t do a user notice each time this happens.” The Twitter employees also referred to the situation as “feeding congressional trolls” and made humorous comments about their behavior.
Nunes told Taibbi: “Schiff and the Democrats falsely claimed Russians were behind the Release the Memo hashtag, all my investigative work … . By spreading the Russia collusion hoax, they instigated one of the greatest outbreaks of mass delusion in U.S. history.”
Trump needs to start a huge lawsuit against Stinky Hillary and all involved for Defamation Of Character and all the Money and Stress these lying Devilcrats have caused!! We the people have had enough of this Communist Regime Of Satanic Scum!!! And Trump Doesn’t Deserve What These Traitors Have Done!!! MAGA ALL THE WAY!!!
We The People are SOOOOO SICK of ALL that these corrupt Dems have DONE to the American People in leading them astray for soooo long. It’s disgusting. And it’s coming to a head, finally. And thanks to Elon for bringing everything we KNEW was going on, out into the wide open for everyone to see for themselves. SCOTUS can’t keep scuttling EVERYTHING. It’s ALL adding up FAST.
Every time lies from the democrats are exposed, you can bet your last dollar that Shifty Schiff is right in the middle of all the lies and he is making up more lies as he speaks. There should be some way to punish Schiff and his cohorts for continual lies about anything connected to republicans. Why can politicians spread lie after lie after lie about conservatives and nothing ever is done to the dems for the falsehoods. The people in California just keep voting Schiff into office, which tells us what kind of people they are. So glad I do not live in that screwed up state!
WAKE UP AMERICA AND START CALLING OUT THE LIARS IN DC UNTIL SOMETHING IS DONE TO STOP THE LIES!!!
Shiff for brains needs to be taken out back and his jaws shattered so severely he couldn’t speak another single word for the remainder of his pathological lying life!!
I’ll do it!!! I volunteer!! Pick Me Pick Me
All I can say is the True Democrat Party has been lost forever and replaced with Obama’s Spawn of AntiChrist Demons spreading hate and division and lies while they steal your money ruin your lives and kill you off in the name of Climate Change!!