Post by: Lucifer on February 16, 2018, 11:04:53 AM
Quote
An announcement from special counsel Robert Mueller's office said that the government accuses all the defendants of conspiracy to defraud the United States. Three defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. Five defendants are charged with aggravated identity theft.
Guess Mueller needs something, anything, to keep his "investigation" alive before he gets taken down.
Post by: Lucifer on February 16, 2018, 11:23:53 AM
Post by: Lucifer on February 16, 2018, 11:39:39 AM
MR. ROSENSTEIN: GOOD AFTERNOON. AN INDICTMENT TODAY WAS RETURNED TO BUY THE SPECIAL COUNSEL'S OFFICE, CHARGING 13 RUSSIAN NATIONALS AND THREE RUSSIAN COMPANIES FOR COMMITTING FEDERAL CRIMES WHILE SEEKING TO INTERFERE IN THE UNITED STATES POLITICAL SYSTEM, INCLUDING THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. THE DEFENDANTS ALLEGEDLY CONDUCTED WHAT THEY CALLED INFORMATION WARFARE AGAINST THE UNITED STATES WITH THE STATED GOAL OF SPREADING DISTRUST TOWARD THE CANDIDATES AND THE POLITICAL SYSTEM IN GENERAL. ACCORDING TO THE ALLEGATIONS IN THE INDICTMENT, 12 OF THE INDIVIDUAL DEFENDANTS WORKED AT VARIOUS TIMES FOR A COMPANY CALLED INTERNET RESEARCH AGENCY LLC, A RUSSIAN-BASED COMPANY IN ST. PETERSBURG. OTHERS TARGETING FOREIGN AUDIENCES IN MULTIPLE COUNTRIES. INTERNET RESEARCH AGENCY ALLEGEDLY -- ALLEGEDLY OPERATED THROUGH RUSSIAN SHELL COMPANIES, EMPLOYED HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE AND ONLINE OPERATIONS, RANGING FROM CREATORS OF FICTITIOUS PERSONAS TO TECHNICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT PERSONNEL WITH AN ANNUAL BUDGET OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. INTERNET RESEARCH AGENCY WITH A STRUCTURE ORGANIZATION ARRANGED INTO DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING GRAPHICS, SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, AND FINANCE DEPARTMENTS. IN 2014, THE COMPANY ESTABLISHED A TRANSMITTER PROJECT FOCUSED ON THE UNITED STATES. IN JULY OF 2016, MORE THAN 80 EMPLOYEES WERE ASSIGNED TO THE TRANSLATOR PROJECT. TWO OF THE DEFENDANTS ALLEGEDLY TRAVELED TO THE UNITED STATES IN 2014 TO COLLECT INTELLIGENCE FOR THEIR AMERICAN INFLUENCE OPERATIONS. IN ORDER TO HIDE THE RUSSIAN ORIGINS OF THEIR ACTIVITIES, THE DEFENDANTS ALLEGEDLY ARE JUST AND COMPUTER SERVERS LOCATED HERE IN THE UNITED STATES TO SET UP A VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORK. THE DEFENDANTS ALLEGEDLY USED OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE TO ESTABLISH HUNDREDS OF ACCOUNTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS SUCH AS FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, AND TWITTER, MAKING IT APPEAR THAT THOSE ACCOUNTS WERE CONTROLLED BY PERSONS LOCATED IN THE UNITED STATES. THEY USED STOLEN OR FICTITIOUS AMERICAN IDENTITIES, FRAUDULENT BANK ACCOUNTS, AND FALSE IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS. THEY POSED AS POLITICALLY AND SOCIALLY ACTIVE AMERICANS, ADVOCATING FOR AND AGAINST PARTICULAR CANDIDATES. THEY ESTABLISHED SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES AND GROUPS TO COMMUNICATE WITH UNWITTING AMERICANS. THEY ALSO PURCHASED POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS. THE RUSSIANS ALSO RECRUITED AND PAID REAL AMERICANS TO ENGAGE IN POLITICAL ACTIVITIES, PROMOTE POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS, AND STAGE POLITICAL RALLIES. THE DEFENDANTS AND CO-CONSPIRATORS PRETENDED TO BE GRASSROOTS ACTIVISTS. THE AMERICANS DID NOT KNOW THEY WERE COMMUNICATING WITH RUSSIANS, ACCORDING TO THE INDICTMENT. AFTER THE ELECTION, THE DEFENDANTS ALLEGEDLY STAGED RALLIES TO SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY STAGING RALLIES TO PROTEST HIS ELECTION. FOR EXAMPLE, THE DEFENDANTS ORGANIZED ONE RALLY TO SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT-ELECT AND ANOTHER RALLY TO OPPOSE HIM, BOTH IN NEW YORK ON THE SAME DAY. ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2017, SOON AFTER THE NEWS MEDIA REPORTED THAT THE SPECIAL COUNSEL'S OFFICE WAS INVESTIGATING EVIDENCE THAT RUSSIAN OPERATIVES USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO INTERFERE WITH THE 2016 ELECTION, ONE DEFENDANT ALLEGEDLY WROTE, "WE HAD A SLIGHT CRISIS HERE AT WORK. THE FBI BUSTED OUR ACTIVITY, SO I GOT PREOCCUPIED WITH COVERING TRACKS TOGETHER WITH MY COLLEAGUES." THE INDICTMENT INCLUDES EIGHT CRIMINAL COUNTS. COUNT ONE ALLEGES A CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY TO FRAUD THE UNITED STATES, ALL OF THE DEFENDANTS. THEY ALLEGEDLY CONSPIRED TO DEFRAUD AMERICA BY IMPAIRING THE LAWFUL FUNCTIONS OF THE FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION, THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE. THOSE ORGANIZATIONS OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ADMINISTERING FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR DISCLOSURE OF FOREIGN INVOLVEMENT IN CERTAIN DOMESTIC ACTIVITIES. COUNT TWO CHARGES CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT WIRE FRAUD AND BANK FRAUD BY INTERNET RESEARCH AGENCY AND TWO OF THE INDIVIDUAL DEFENDANTS. THREE THROUGH EIGHT CHARGE AGGRAVATED IDENTITY THEFT BY INTERNET RESEARCH AGENCY AND FOUR OF THE DEFENDANTS. THERE IS NO ALLEGATION IN THIS INDICTMENT THAT ANY AMERICAN WAS A KNOWING PARTICIPANT IN THIS ILLEGAL ACTIVITY. THERE IS NO ALLEGATION IN THE INDICTMENT THAT THE CHARGE ALTERED THE OUTCOME OF THE 2016 ELECTION. I WANT TO CAUTION YOU THAT EVERYONE CHARGED WITH A CRIME IS PRESUMED INNOCENT UNLESS AND UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY IN COURT. A TRIAL, PROSECUTORS WAS INTRODUCED GRETEL EVIDENCE SUFFICIENT TO PROVE EACH DEFENDANT GUILTY BEYOND ANY REASONABLE DOUBT TO A UNANIMOUS JURY. THE SPECIAL COUNSEL'S INVESTIGATION WAS ONGOING. THERE WILL BE NO COMMENTS FROM THE SPECIAL COUNSEL AT THIS TIME. THIS INDICTMENT SERVES AS A REMINDER THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT ALWAYS WHO THEY APPEAR TO BE. THE INDICTMENT ALLEGES THAT THE RUSSIAN CONSPIRATORS
Post by: Little Joe on February 16, 2018, 01:05:34 PM
Quote
THERE IS NO ALLEGATION IN THIS INDICTMENT THAT ANY AMERICAN WAS A KNOWING PARTICIPANT IN THIS ILLEGAL ACTIVITY. THERE IS NO ALLEGATION IN THE INDICTMENT THAT THE CHARGE ALTERED THE OUTCOME OF THE 2016 ELECTION.
Well, there ya go . . .
Post by: Lucifer on February 16, 2018, 01:19:41 PM
Totally shocked!
Post by: Jim Logajan on February 16, 2018, 04:04:56 PM
The most notable thing I see is that the Ruskies started this effort in 2014. The Ruskie talks big, but frankly, we think he's short of know how. I mean, you just can't expect a bunch of ignorant peons to understand how to throw an election like some of our boys.
MR. ROSENSTEIN: GOOD AFTERNOON. AN INDICTMENT TODAY WAS RETURNED TO BUY THE SPECIAL COUNSEL'S OFFICE, CHARGING 13 RUSSIAN NATIONALS AND THREE RUSSIAN COMPANIES FOR COMMITTING FEDERAL CRIMES WHILE SEEKING TO INTERFERE IN THE UNITED STATES POLITICAL SYSTEM, INCLUDING THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. THE DEFENDANTS ALLEGEDLY CONDUCTED WHAT THEY CALLED INFORMATION WARFARE AGAINST THE UNITED STATES WITH THE STATED GOAL OF SPREADING DISTRUST TOWARD THE CANDIDATES AND THE POLITICAL SYSTEM IN GENERAL. ACCORDING TO THE ALLEGATIONS IN THE INDICTMENT, 12 OF THE INDIVIDUAL DEFENDANTS WORKED AT VARIOUS TIMES FOR A COMPANY CALLED INTERNET RESEARCH AGENCY LLC, A RUSSIAN-BASED COMPANY IN ST. PETERSBURG. OTHERS TARGETING FOREIGN AUDIENCES IN MULTIPLE COUNTRIES. INTERNET RESEARCH AGENCY ALLEGEDLY -- ALLEGEDLY OPERATED THROUGH RUSSIAN SHELL COMPANIES, EMPLOYED HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE AND ONLINE OPERATIONS, RANGING FROM CREATORS OF FICTITIOUS PERSONAS TO TECHNICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT PERSONNEL WITH AN ANNUAL BUDGET OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. INTERNET RESEARCH AGENCY WITH A STRUCTURE ORGANIZATION ARRANGED INTO DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING GRAPHICS, SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, AND FINANCE DEPARTMENTS. IN 2014, THE COMPANY ESTABLISHED A TRANSMITTER PROJECT FOCUSED ON THE UNITED STATES. IN JULY OF 2016, MORE THAN 80 EMPLOYEES WERE ASSIGNED TO THE TRANSLATOR PROJECT. TWO OF THE DEFENDANTS ALLEGEDLY TRAVELED TO THE UNITED STATES IN 2014 TO COLLECT INTELLIGENCE FOR THEIR AMERICAN INFLUENCE OPERATIONS. IN ORDER TO HIDE THE RUSSIAN ORIGINS OF THEIR ACTIVITIES, THE DEFENDANTS ALLEGEDLY ARE JUST AND COMPUTER SERVERS LOCATED HERE IN THE UNITED STATES TO SET UP A VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORK. THE DEFENDANTS ALLEGEDLY USED OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE TO ESTABLISH HUNDREDS OF ACCOUNTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS SUCH AS FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, AND TWITTER, MAKING IT APPEAR THAT THOSE ACCOUNTS WERE CONTROLLED BY PERSONS LOCATED IN THE UNITED STATES. THEY USED STOLEN OR FICTITIOUS AMERICAN IDENTITIES, FRAUDULENT BANK ACCOUNTS, AND FALSE IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS. THEY POSED AS POLITICALLY AND SOCIALLY ACTIVE AMERICANS, ADVOCATING FOR AND AGAINST PARTICULAR CANDIDATES. THEY ESTABLISHED SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES AND GROUPS TO COMMUNICATE WITH UNWITTING AMERICANS. THEY ALSO PURCHASED POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS. THE RUSSIANS ALSO RECRUITED AND PAID REAL AMERICANS TO ENGAGE IN POLITICAL ACTIVITIES, PROMOTE POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS, AND STAGE POLITICAL RALLIES. THE DEFENDANTS AND CO-CONSPIRATORS PRETENDED TO BE GRASSROOTS ACTIVISTS. THE AMERICANS DID NOT KNOW THEY WERE COMMUNICATING WITH RUSSIANS, ACCORDING TO THE INDICTMENT. AFTER THE ELECTION, THE DEFENDANTS ALLEGEDLY STAGED RALLIES TO SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY STAGING RALLIES TO PROTEST HIS ELECTION. FOR EXAMPLE, THE DEFENDANTS ORGANIZED ONE RALLY TO SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT-ELECT AND ANOTHER RALLY TO OPPOSE HIM, BOTH IN NEW YORK ON THE SAME DAY. ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2017, SOON AFTER THE NEWS MEDIA REPORTED THAT THE SPECIAL COUNSEL'S OFFICE WAS INVESTIGATING EVIDENCE THAT RUSSIAN OPERATIVES USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO INTERFERE WITH THE 2016 ELECTION, ONE DEFENDANT ALLEGEDLY WROTE, "WE HAD A SLIGHT CRISIS HERE AT WORK. THE FBI BUSTED OUR ACTIVITY, SO I GOT PREOCCUPIED WITH COVERING TRACKS TOGETHER WITH MY COLLEAGUES." THE INDICTMENT INCLUDES EIGHT CRIMINAL COUNTS. COUNT ONE ALLEGES A CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY TO FRAUD THE UNITED STATES, ALL OF THE DEFENDANTS. THEY ALLEGEDLY CONSPIRED TO DEFRAUD AMERICA BY IMPAIRING THE LAWFUL FUNCTIONS OF THE FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION, THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE. THOSE ORGANIZATIONS OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ADMINISTERING FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR DISCLOSURE OF FOREIGN INVOLVEMENT IN CERTAIN DOMESTIC ACTIVITIES. COUNT TWO CHARGES CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT WIRE FRAUD AND BANK FRAUD BY INTERNET RESEARCH AGENCY AND TWO OF THE INDIVIDUAL DEFENDANTS. THREE THROUGH EIGHT CHARGE AGGRAVATED IDENTITY THEFT BY INTERNET RESEARCH AGENCY AND FOUR OF THE DEFENDANTS. THERE IS NO ALLEGATION IN THIS INDICTMENT THAT ANY AMERICAN WAS A KNOWING PARTICIPANT IN THIS ILLEGAL ACTIVITY. THERE IS NO ALLEGATION IN THE INDICTMENT THAT THE CHARGE ALTERED THE OUTCOME OF THE 2016 ELECTION. I WANT TO CAUTION YOU THAT EVERYONE CHARGED WITH A CRIME IS PRESUMED INNOCENT UNLESS AND UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY IN COURT. A TRIAL, PROSECUTORS WAS INTRODUCED GRETEL EVIDENCE SUFFICIENT TO PROVE EACH DEFENDANT GUILTY BEYOND ANY REASONABLE DOUBT TO A UNANIMOUS JURY. THE SPECIAL COUNSEL'S INVESTIGATION WAS ONGOING. THERE WILL BE NO COMMENTS FROM THE SPECIAL COUNSEL AT THIS TIME. THIS INDICTMENT SERVES AS A REMINDER THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT ALWAYS WHO THEY APPEAR TO BE. THE INDICTMENT ALLEGES THAT THE RUSSIAN CONSPIRATORS
Post by: Number7 on February 16, 2018, 04:08:16 PM
Clearly the only smart thing to do is lie through your teeth and blame the Russians.
What a pile of stinking, liberal bullshit, made up to look like news.
Post by: Lucifer on February 16, 2018, 04:10:15 PM
Last time I saw that much all-caps text with no paragraphs, it was output from a TTY-33, circa 1982..
Blame the DoJ's website.
Post by: Jim Logajan on February 16, 2018, 04:19:03 PM
In other future news, the Russians will be indicting the Americans who ran Radio Free Europe and Voice of America for their transmissions that meddled in Russian elections.
Post by: Lucifer on February 16, 2018, 04:26:13 PM
In other future news, the Russians will be indicting the Americans who ran Radio Free Europe and Voice of America for their transmissions that meddled in Russian elections.
And BHO who, using taxpayer funds, meddled in the Israeli elections attempting to oust Netanyahu.
And the US meddling in the elections of Guatemala, Brazil, El Salvador, Haiti, Panama, Israel, Lebanon, Iran, Greece, Italy, Malta, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, South Vietnam and Japan.
https://www.channel4.com/news/factcheck/americas-long-history-of-meddling-in-other-countries-elections
Post by: EppyGA - White Christian Domestic Terrorist on February 16, 2018, 05:17:24 PM
Post by: Lucifer on February 16, 2018, 05:41:50 PM
The question everyone and anyone should ask is, “Where the hell was the DOJ.”
Working on an insurance policy.
Post by: Jim Logajan on February 16, 2018, 06:00:10 PM
The question everyone and anyone should ask is, “Where the hell was the DOJ.”
Or the NSA or CIA?
Isn't this the sort of thing they are supposed to be tracking?
Unless I'm missing something, the Russian "meddling" aspect (i.e. excluding fraud and misleading the Feds) doesn't appear to be illegal if it were done by a U.S. citizen. Reason has a summary of the main points here:
http://reason.com/blog/2018/02/16/feds-announce-indictments-for-russian-na (http://reason.com/blog/2018/02/16/feds-announce-indictments-for-russian-na)
Post by: EppyGA - White Christian Domestic Terrorist on February 16, 2018, 07:27:22 PM
On or about February 10, 2016, Defendants and their co-conspirators internally circulated an outline of themes for future content to be posted to ORGANIZATION-controlled social media accounts. Specialists were instructed to post content that focused on “politics in the USA” and to “use any opportunity to criticize Hillary and the rest (except Sanders and Trump—we support them).”
Post by: Lucifer on February 16, 2018, 07:39:08 PM
Oh, and how this will now lead into a obstruction of justice against the President.
Post by: President in Exile YOLT on February 16, 2018, 08:01:20 PM
It's amusing watching the MSM attempt to twist this tonight into how the Russians were working with Trump to get him elected.
Oh, and how this will now lead into a obstruction of justice against the President.
andandand then Trump is impeached andandand leaves on a helicopter andandand then Queen Hillary I is coronated.
Post by: bflynn on February 16, 2018, 08:18:33 PM
What laws are they accused of breaking? Title and section?
Post by: Lucifer on February 16, 2018, 08:21:20 PM
I had trouble following the all caps.
What laws are they accused of breaking? Title and section?
The text of the actual indictment is in the second post link.
Post by: Lucifer on February 16, 2018, 08:27:08 PM
andandand then Trump is impeached andandand leaves on a helicopter andandand then Queen Hillary I is coronated.
The MSM stooges are already cooking up a new sex smear on the President. Now that their great Russian Collusion story is evaporating, and they still can't find any obstruction of justice evidence, time to move into another smear.
Post by: invflatspin on February 16, 2018, 11:03:04 PM
Post by: Lucifer on February 17, 2018, 06:52:58 AM
Quote
“At least we know what our federal agents were doing recently while they were too busy to stop school shootings,” Carlson said. “They’ve been chasing down bad Facebook trolls.”
Post by: Lucifer on February 17, 2018, 08:57:11 AM
Post by: Lucifer on February 17, 2018, 08:59:48 AM
Quote
Don’t expect such an indictment. Mueller chose his targets because he knows they will never appear in court, never contest the charges, and cannot be arrested or extradited as Russian citizens. Mueller’s unprecedented prosecution raises three novel arguments: first, that speaking out about American politics requires a foreign citizen to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act; second, that speaking out about American politics requires a foreign citizen list their source and expenditure of funding to the Federal Election Commission; and third, that mistakes on visa applications constitute “fraud” on the State Department. All appear to borrow from the now-discredited “honest services” theories Mueller’s team previously used in corporate and bribery cases, cases the Supreme Court overturned for their unconstitutional vagueness. The indictment raises serious issues under the free speech clause of the First Amendment and due process rights under the Fifth Amendment.
Post by: nddons on February 17, 2018, 09:26:16 AM
The narrative is getting away from the criminals at the DOJ and FBI, along with the former attorney general, secretary of state and president.That’s my fear. I sense this is a “Nothing to see here, move along” move by the very DOJ and FBI that we’re weaponized for purely political purposes by Obama and his minions including Hillary.
Clearly the only smart thing to do is lie through your teeth and blame the Russians.
What a pile of stinking, liberal bullshit, made up to look like news.
Post by: nddons on February 17, 2018, 09:36:19 AM
Post by: Lucifer on February 17, 2018, 09:53:01 AM
This whole thing is very disturbing. I was set to vote for Hillary and all of the sudden anti-Hillary ads just popped up on FB and told me to vote for Trump. I’m so weak and fragile I just said “yes, Comrade.”
But but but...... the polls said Hillary would win! But but but......the fix was in! But but but....nobody likes Trump!
Post by: Anthony on February 17, 2018, 12:27:11 PM
This whole thing is very disturbing. I was set to vote for Hillary and all of the sudden anti-Hillary ads just popped up on FB and told me to vote for Trump. I’m so weak and fragile I just said “yes, Comrade.”
That's nothing. I walked into my local polling place which has mechanical voting booths, and low and behold the Russians were hacking them. Boris Badenov, and Natasha were going from machine, to machine switching the votes to Trump!!! I told the poll watchers, and they just shrugged! The fix was in!
Post by: nddons on February 17, 2018, 12:37:51 PM
That's nothing. I walked into my local polling place which has mechanical voting booths, and low and behold the Russians were hacking them. Boris Badenov, and Natasha were going from machine, to machine switching the votes to Trump!!! I told the poll watchers, and they just shrugged! The fix was in!But did you nail Natasha? She’s hot!
Post by: Lucifer on February 19, 2018, 07:44:52 AM
Quote
Former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson said on MSNBC Monday morning that although the Obama administration knew of Russian hacking as early as summer of 2016, the administration did nothing initially out of concern for being labeled as “taking sides.”
Post by: Anthony on February 19, 2018, 07:51:40 AM
But did you nail Natasha? She’s hot!
She's a cartoon. :)
Post by: nddons on February 19, 2018, 12:46:36 PM
She's a cartoon. :)I know. We’re probably close in age.
Post by: Number7 on February 19, 2018, 12:47:07 PM
http://dailycaller.com/2018/02/19/obamas-dhs-sec-says-administration-knew-about-russian-hack-waited-to-tell-public-for-fear-of-label-as-taking-sides/
Jeh Johnson is a scum bag.
Lets be real.