Spy Game

Is Donald Trump a Manchurian Candidate?
A series of explosive reports provide new details about the Republican nominee’s relationship with Russia.

by Abigail Tracy
November 1, 2016 6:45 pm

http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/11/is-donald-trump-a-manchurian-candidate

"Within 24 hours of Reid’s letter being published, several news outlets broke stories about Trump’s long-rumored ties to Russia. First, CNBC confirmed that Comey did, in fact, believe a “foreign power was trying to undermine the election,” but didn’t want to make the bureau’s investigation public until after the election. Later Monday evening, Slate published a separate story investigating the suspicious communications between a Trump-controlled server and Alfa Bank, one of the largest financial institutions in Russia. (Franklin Foer, who wrote the article, ultimately concluded that “we don’t yet know what this server was for, but it deserves further explanation.”) The Trump campaign dismissed Slate’s reporting, claiming in a statement that “the Trump Organization has no communication or relationship with this entity or any Russian entity.” But hours later, a more damning story dropped. According to Mother Jones, a former Western intelligence officer brought the F.B.I. evidence months ago revealing “an established exchange of information between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin of mutual benefit.” The former spy, who reporter David Corn characterizes as a veteran operative with nearly two decades of experience investigating Russian intelligence, allegedly brought his findings to the agency after deeming them “sufficiently serious.” The F.B.I. reportedly took the allegations seriously, requesting additional information. (While Corn’s source did not share his agency contact with the magazine, a senior U.S. official familiar with the former spy told Mother Jones that he was a credible source.) According to Corn, the report sent to the F.B.I. concluded that the “Russian regime has been cultivating, supporting and assisting Trump for at least [five] years” and that the G.O.P. nominee “and his inner circle have accepted a regular flow of intelligence from the Kremlin, including on his Democratic and other political rivals.” (The Trump campaign did not respond to a request by Mother Jones for comment.)"

Brent Budowsky: Donald Trump, a real-life Manchurian candidate

By Brent Budowsky - 08/09/16 03:00 PM EDT 

http://thehill.com/opinion/brent-budowsky/290869-brent-budowsky-donald-trump-a-real-life-manchurian-candidate