Thread by @phillyrich1

Carter Page, Lisa Page and the FISA Warrant

If you want to know how significant this story was/is, you just have to watch how the left used it against Trump. Here's Rachel Maddow. I know, I know. But for context, its worth a watch.

msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/…

But if you can't stomach it, here's a summary:

1. The leak of FISA information is a very, very unusual leak. Its something that NEVER leaks.
2. Maddow goes back to 2013 to set up Page as a Russian operative

3. Maddow completely exaggerates how Page's name was pulled out of a hat by Trump when pressured to announce his foreign policy advisors. "Page was one of the only one's Trump could name."

This is false. Trump was handed a list, read off 4 names then stopped.

4. Maddow notes from WaPo story that there was probable cause Page was acting as a foreign agent. What was it?

- the 2013 story
- AND OTHER CONTACTS WITH OPERATIVES THAT HAD NOT BEEN PREVIOUSLY DISCLOSED (Steele/Trump Dossier)

5. If what the Washington Post is reporting is true, "this is a big advance in the story."

(This is the money shot and explains why Strzok and Page leaked- to advance the Trump-Russia story)

6. Maddow notes how Devon Nunes is under investigation for disclosing classified information that a FISA warrant even existed.

(What Lisa Page did is actually far worse. "Stunning")

7. Next she brings on Adam Entous, one of the authors of the WaPo article.

"The bar is high to get a FISA warrant. The officials we spoke to..."

(There was more than 1 leaker. He said "officials." Plural. Who else besides Lisa Page leaked this?)

8. Those "officials" he spoke to noted that in order to make their case of probable cause to the FISA Judge, there are other aspects including "other contacts" Page had with other Russians (Steele Dossier)

9. Entous refers to Carter Page's statement regarding this whole thing as a "talking point."

10. Summary:
WaPo gets Trump to name foreign policy team
Steele Dossier includes some of those names
Dossier is leaked to press & DOJ
DOJ uses Dossier to get FISA warrants on Team Trump
DOJ leaks the FISA information to WaPo
Media "advances" the story
Denials are talking points