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Dustin Volz @dnvolz
, 4 tweets, 2 min read Read on Twitter
SCOOP: Deceased GOP operative Peter Smith secretly raised $100k from 4 donors in Oct. 2016 as part of a project to obtain Hillary Clinton’s emails, an effort that documents and sources say is being actively probed by Mueller

wsj.com/articles/gop-o…
Smith, who said he was working on behalf of Michael Flynn, was warned he was likely getting mixed up with Russian hackers in his pursuit of emails, but he continued to pursue them just weeks before the election. wsj.com/articles/gop-o…
Smith used a dummy Gmail account with the alias “Robert Tyler” to communicate w/ associates, but others had access to the account. An Oct. 11 email simply signed ROB referred to the money as for “the Washington Scholarship Fund for the Russian students” wsj.com/articles/gop-o…
Smith died 10 days after speaking to the Journal last year, a death police ruled a suicide when he was found in a Minnesota hotel room with a hand-written note that read: "NO FOUL PLAY WHATSOEVER." Some who spoke to Smith in his final days remain shocked.

wsj.com/articles/gop-o…
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NEW: @WSJ has seen the classified CIA assessment on Khashoggi. Signals intelligence shows that the Saudi crown prince sent at least 11 messages to his closest advisor who oversaw the team that killed Khashoggi in the hours leading up to the operation. wsj.com/articles/cia-i…
The Saudi leader also in Aug. 2017 told associates that if his efforts to persuade Khashoggi to return to Saudi Arabia weren’t successful, “we could possibly lure him outside Saudi Arabia and make arrangements,” according to the assessment wsj.com/articles/cia-i…
The previously unreported excerpts say the CIA has “medium-to-high confidence” that MBS “personally targeted” Khashoggi and “probably ordered his death.” It added: “To be clear, we lack direct reporting of the Crown Prince issuing a kill order.” wsj.com/articles/cia-i…
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SCOOP: The three top cyber officials at the FBI are departing, a sweep of turnover that comes amid concerns about flagging morale due to Trump's repeated attacks and as U.S. security agencies have warned of unprecedented cyber threats to the country wsj.com/articles/three…
In addition, Carl Ghattas, executive assistant director of the FBI’s national security branch, is leaving the bureau this month. wsj.com/articles/three…
This is on top of the departure of Jeff Tricoli, who left last month and was co-leading the bureau's foreign influence task force set up by Director Wray last year to combat Russian election interference wsj.com/articles/fbi-o…
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This affidavit unsealed today against Russian national Mariia Butina is incredible. This Twitter DM she sent to a Russian official discusses how one political party, apparently the GOP, is "for us" while the other, Democrats, is "against" us.

"Our move here is very important."
Right after Trump won, Butina told the Russian official: "I'm going to sleep. It's 3 am here. I am ready for further orders."

Russian official replied: "Think about in which areas of life we could go towards bringing us closer. ISIS ... we need to look at the American agenda."
!!

A month before the election Butina discussed with the Russian official she should volunteer to serve as a U.S. election observer.

The Russian official said "the risk of provocation is too high..."

Butina: "Only incognito! Right now everything has to be quiet and careful."
Read 7 tweets

Related threads

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SCOOP: Now deceased GOP operative Peter Smith "met with several groups of hackers in a suburban Washington hotel AUG 27-28, 2016" as he pursued Clinton's emails. He also exchanged emails with Flynn AND Mattis in the final months of his life.
by @ByronTau on.wsj.com/2DJN8ui
Associate of now-deceased GOP activist Peter Smith: "We spoke with Flynn the day he left for his [DEC 2015] Moscow trip."
#Maddow
Read 9 tweets
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🌪Wierdness Incoming🌪

Prepare for things to get really weird.

Trump Tower/Alfa Bank story is incoming

With regard to Kavanaugh, rumor has it he will be “The first Supreme Court Justice to go to prison. Another historic first on the way for Team Treason.”
#Kasowitz 💰#SIGINT
🌪Incoming🌪

The former dean of Yale LS is shocked by Kav’s raw & savage partisan turn.

DC Circuit sent complaints abt Kav’s testimony to CJ Roberts

At issue Kav’s answers about his work in the Bush adm, & his lack of judicial temperament re his partisan comments about DEMs
🌪Incoming🌪

Under scrutiny are Kav’s involvement in Memogate, GWB adm post the terrorist attacks of 9/11/01; USA Patriot Act inclusive of various domestic surveillance programs, airport screening programs & other privacy-related subjects.

Kav Is Sworn In post Confirmation Vote
Read 75 tweets
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⚡️Mueller is unraveling a MAJOR & dark thread in Russia investigation. (Dead) GOP operative Peter Smith apparently wired money to hackers as "Russian students" at same time Clinton emails were released by Wikileaks. Elaborate secrecy & planned projects suggest foul play. THREAD👇
So GOP operative PETER SMITH had an elaborate & well-funded scheme to get Clinton emails. In email w/ apparent hacker, they discuss wiring $150k to "Russian students" & being pleased w/ released Clinton emails just days after Wikileaks releases in Oct. wsj.com/articles/gop-o…
This is the first reporting I've seen casting some doubt on GOP operative Peter SMITH's suicide. Hours before his death, he spoke w/ a financier about another anti-Clinton project. He was excited & brainstorming about how to proceed. Financier was stunned when he heard of suicide
Read 7 tweets
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In a covert effort to obtain Clinton emails, now-deceased GOP operative Peter Smith raised at least $100,000 from wealthy donors under the guise of a "Scholarship Fund for Russian students" – after US IC warned of Russia's election interference.
#Maddow on.wsj.com/2C08j9K
Peter Smith went to extraordinary lengths to ensure secrecy of his operation [to enlist Russian hackers to obtain Clinton emails], using a Gmail account named “Robert Tyler” that he and his associates communicated with by leaving notes for each other in the draft folder.
#Maddow
Financier Charles Ortel spoke with Peter Smith on the phone hours before his death re a new project and Smith had sounded excited, brainstorming about next steps. Ortel was stunned Smith had taken his life soon after, leaving a note which read: “NO FOUL PLAY WHATSOEVER.”
#Maddow
Read 16 tweets
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Now-deceased GOP operative Peter Smith remains an important figure in the government's investigation. The FBI subpoenaed Northern Trust for Smith’s bank records last Dec to learn whether he paid anyone connected with the Russian government.
by @jasonleopold @a_cormier_ #Maddow
Recall, in his "KLS Research Packet," Peter Smith [GOP activist who sought Clinton emails] listed Trump campaign officials involved in his project: Mike Flynn, Flynn Jr, Kellyanne Conway, Sam Clovis, & Bannon. Smith also had direct access to Flynn.
#Maddow
ICYMI: Now-deceased Peter Smith [GOP activist who sought Clinton emails] had known Kellyanne Conway's husband George for decades – since their efforts in the 90's to take down Bill Clinton [they were involved in Troopergate & Paula Jones lawsuit].
#Maddow
Read 10 tweets
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NEW: Deceased GOP operative Peter Smith, who previously told WSJ he tried to obtain Hillary Clinton's emails via hackers, made several cash withdrawals during those efforts that were deemed "suspicious" by his bank. Those may have been payments to hackers.
buzzfeednews.com/article/jasonl…
"According to a person with direct knowledge of [Peter] Smith’s project, the Republican operative stated that he was prepared to pay hackers 'many thousands of dollars' for Clinton’s emails — and ultimately did so."

Peter Smith has said he was in touch w/ both Russians on the dark web & Trump campaign officials, particularly Michael Flynn.

Now, per @BuzzFeedNews: FBI & congressional investigators have zeroed in on transactions he made right as his effort to get Clinton's emails heated up.
Read 12 tweets

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