The Post must feel that it's less impressive to say that the Russia-did-it conclusion was reached by "hand-picked" analysts at four agencies while other intelligence agencies, which could have supplied important context, such as the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research, were excluded.
What has also been remarkable about the months-long investigations into alleged Russian "meddling" is how little evidence has been evinced to support the accusations. While there has been a parade of Obama appointees testifying before Congress -- making broad accusations while demurring whenever evidence is requested on the grounds of secrecy or privacy -- we haven't heard from any of the people accused of having these untoward contacts with Russians, even though some have volunteered to testify.
"I'm not going to identify the individuals [under suspicion] because this is information that, again, is based on classified sources and intelligence," Brennan said on Tuesday, although the identities of the suspected "traitors" have been widely publicized through leaks to the major U.S. news media.
Speaking Up
One of those Americans, onetime Trump foreign policy adviser Carter Page, responded to Brennan's testimony in a letter to the House Intelligence Committee.
Page noted he was "an unpaid, informal" adviser to the campaign and "throughout my interactions with the Russians in 2016, I consistently made it crystal clear that all of my benign statements and harmless actions in Moscow as well as elsewhere overseas were solely made as a scholar and a business person speaking only on behalf of myself. In other words, in no way connected to then-candidate Trump. Both in Russia and in countries around the world, this was precisely the same position I had maintained stretching back over a decade."
Regarding Brennan's demurral about naming names, Page pointed out that it has been widely reported that he was put under a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant. According to press accounts, that was, in part, because of a speech he made in Moscow in 2016. His identity, in communications intercepted by U.S. intelligence, had already been "unmasked" or exposed to the public, but whatever evidence there is against him has been hidden.
Page wrote: "underscoring what a complete mockery this process has become, my identity has already been publicly revealed in the wake of the felonies committed [by the Obama administration, including] baseless FISA warrant, Male-1 unmasking, etc.).
"Serving as a loyal Clinton/Obama regime surrogate, Brennan's spineless practice of hiding behind this lame confidentiality excuse rather than taking any responsibility for their illegal actions only stirs up more misunderstanding and illegitimate fears which continue to damage our great country. This further underscores the urgent need for the public disclosure of these related documents."
Joining the Stampede
Yet, congressional Democrats have recognized the political gain that they can extract from this New McCarthyism, as reflected in an exchange between Rep. Jim Himes, D-Connecticut, and Brennan at Tuesday's hearing. Himes cited a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a leading think tank for the Military-Industrial Complex.
Himes said: "I want to use my five minutes to try to paint a more specific picture around the methods and mechanisms that the Russians used to suborn " our democracy and our electoral process. And I want to start with a quote by a report I know you're familiar with, CSIS' report, 'The Kremlin Playbook' in which they say that Russia, quote, 'Seeks to corrode democracy from within by deepening political divides,' unquote.
"The Russians stir the pot, heighten anxieties and know that when they trigger chaos, even if it ends up negatively affecting them, that they are serving the purpose of weakening us. I want to talk about people because you made reference to people and I don't want to do it specifically, I want to do it in the abstract.
"'The Kremlin Playbook' " says further that Russia looks to corrode democracy by, quote, 'Investing in rising politicians, cultivating relationships with prominent businessmen, or helping to ensure that its business affiliates become well-positioned in government.'
"Mr. Brennan, assuming that you agree with that, how specifically has the Kremlin gone about cultivating relationships with key Americans in an effort " to influence our policy?"
Brennan: "It is traditional intelligence collection tradecraft " to identify individuals that you think are either very influential or rising stars, and you will try to develop a relationship with them and the Russians frequently will do that through cutouts or through false-flag operations. They won't identify themselves as Russians or as members of Russian government. They will try to develop a personal relationship and then over time they will try to get individuals to do things on their behalf.
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