Craig Murray, in his description of his own role in getting the Podesta files to Wikileaks, at least, revealed a detail that needs greater attention. He believes he received something (perhaps the documents themselves, perhaps something else) from a person with ties to US national security.

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From Empty Wheel

Because security professionals are so confident in the Russian attribution of the DNC hack, they have largely ignored alternative theories from the likes of Wikileaks and Bill Binney. That's unfortunate, because Craig Murray, in his description of his own role in getting the Podesta files to Wikileaks, at least, revealed a detail that needs greater attention. He believes he received something (perhaps the documents themselves, perhaps something else) from a person with ties to US national security.

"[I]f we believe that Murray believes this, we know that the intermediary can credibly claim to have ties to American national security."

So on September 25, Murray met a presumed American in DC for a hand-off related to the Podesta hack.

I raise that because Trump is now promising we'll learn something this week about the hack that may cast doubt on the claims Russia was behind it.

"He added: 'And I know a lot about hacking. And hacking is a very hard thing to prove. So it could be somebody else. And I also know things that other people don't know, and so they cannot be sure of the situation.'

"When asked what he knew that others did not, Mr. Trump demurred, saying only, 'You'll find out on Tuesday or Wednesday.'"

If Murray met an American claiming to have done the hack, then Trump may have too. That doesn't mean the Russians didn't do the hack (though it could mean an American borrowed GRU's tools to do it).

It could just as easily mean the Russians have an American cut-out, and that while the security community has been looking for Russian-speaking proxies, they've ignored the possibility of American ones.

I have a suspicion that Trump's campaign did meet with such a person (I even have a guess about when it would have happened).

I guess we'll learn more this week.

Authors Website: http://

Authors Bio:
Investigative journalist Marcy Wheeler writes the "Right to Know" column for ExposeFacts. She is best known for providing in-depth analysis of legal documents related to "war on terrorism" programs and civil liberties. Wheeler blogs at emptywheel.net and publishes at outlets including the Guardian, Salon and theProgressive. She is the author of Anatomy of Deceit: How the Bush Administration Used the Media to Sell the Iraq War and Out a Spy. Wheeler won the 2009 Hillman Award for blog journalism.