Apparently this broke Friday night, but I haven’t seen any coverage of it….
"Our intelligence community assessment did, I think, serve to cast doubt on the legitimacy of his victory in the election," Clapper said on CNN's "Erin Burnett Out Front."
Whaaaat?!
The revelation came hours after the President tweeted about the "Russian hoax," writing "the greatest influence over our election was the Fake News Media 'screaming' for Crooked Hillary Clinton." At a rally in Alabama later Friday evening, Trump doubled down, saying, "No, Russia did not help me, that I can tell you, OK?"
Well...if you say so...I mean he’s been totally honest so far…
At another May hearing, Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, asked six intelligence leaders — including Trump's director of National Intelligence, Dan Coats, and CIA Director Mike Pompeo — whether they agreed that Russian intelligence agencies were responsible for the hacking and leaking of information to influence the US election.
All six said yes.
Yeah, well, but…
Clapper said he disclosed the information to the President during a briefing on the assessment in January, and that particular aspect seemed to concern Trump the most.
...
Although Trump has publicly cast doubt on the veracity of the intelligence community's findings about Russian interference, Clapper said Trump was "very solicitous, courteous, even complimentary" during the private briefing on the findings.
"And he did listen," Clapper added.
"I thought we successfully conveyed the message, because the substantiating evidence was quite compelling," Clapper said.
Wait...so...Trump was told in January that there is overwhelming evidence that Russia helped him win, and he was concerned by this news, yet was “courteous, even complimentary” when hearing about it.
This makes me suspect that Trump wasn’t so concerned that it happened, but that there was evidence that it happened.
Let’s look at it this way, either Trump:
1) did not know that Russian involvement aided his victory, yet pleasantly received the news, or
2) knew that Russian involvement aided his victory, so wasn’t perplexed to learn about it, but was concerned that the intelligence community was not only aware, but convinced.
He had to have known.
And not just in passing, as a third party. He had to know, because he was involved.
Considering how outspoken Trump has been in denial, you would have to assume #2 to be true. Since that time, he felt it more important to convince his base that his election was legitimate, than to investigate the extent of the interference. He has attacked the popular vote almost nonstop, which until now seemed unrelated, but it only adds to the illegitimacy of his “victory.” If he can get enough gun-toting fanatics to believe he is the rightful king, then maybe when the feds come knocking at his door, they will stick up for him. Which, combined with his increasing rhetoric threatening war with North Korea, is incredibly frightening. He knows what is coming. He has known since January (at least, he has known that other people know since January). He has filled his cabinet with people totally undeserving of their positions, yet totally faithful to him, so he has allies in important positions. He has fired people to slow the investigations. He knows what is there. He knows what Mueller will find. He knows it is coming out. He is getting ready. And the more smokescreen he can throw out there, the better for him.