(THREAD) The best way to prepare for the impeachment trial is to distinguish between four GOP conspiracy theories—all intended to help Trump please Putin, exculpate Russia of 2016 interference, legitimize Trump's presidency, acquit him of bribery, and help Russia meddle in 2020. 
GOP CONSPIRACY THEORY 1: CROWDSTRIKE
CLAIM: Russia didn't hack DNC servers in 2016—Ukraine did. They did it to help Clinton and the DNC get out of the country digital evidence Clinton's private email server had been hacked.
ORIGIN: 2016.
STATUS: ❌False❌—Russian disinformation.
CLAIM: Russia didn't hack DNC servers in 2016—Ukraine did. They did it to help Clinton and the DNC get out of the country digital evidence Clinton's private email server had been hacked.
ORIGIN: 2016.
STATUS: ❌False❌—Russian disinformation.
GOP CONSPIRACY THEORY 2: BURISMA
CLAIM: Former Vice President Joe Biden bribed then-Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in 2015 into ending a criminal investigation of his son Hunter by withholding aid to Ukraine.
ORIGIN: 2018.
STATUS: ❌False❌—Russian disinformation.
CLAIM: Former Vice President Joe Biden bribed then-Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in 2015 into ending a criminal investigation of his son Hunter by withholding aid to Ukraine.
ORIGIN: 2018.
STATUS: ❌False❌—Russian disinformation.
GOP CONSPIRACY THEORY 3: THE BLACK LEDGER
CLAIM: Poroshenko worked with Ukraine's independent anti-corruption bureau—NABU—to forge evidence of domestic Ukrainian crimes by Paul Manafort to hurt Trump's campaign in mid-2016.
Origin: 2016.
STATUS: ❌False❌—Russian disinformation.
CLAIM: Poroshenko worked with Ukraine's independent anti-corruption bureau—NABU—to forge evidence of domestic Ukrainian crimes by Paul Manafort to hurt Trump's campaign in mid-2016.
Origin: 2016.
STATUS: ❌False❌—Russian disinformation.
GOP CONSPIRACY THEORY 4: UKRAINE-CHALUPA-DNC
CLAIM: In 2016, a DNC opposition researcher worked with the Ukrainian embassy to acquire and disseminate non-public intel on Manafort aimed at harming Trump.
ORIGIN: 2016.
STATUS:❌False❌—Russian disinformation.
NOTE: See next tweet.
CLAIM: In 2016, a DNC opposition researcher worked with the Ukrainian embassy to acquire and disseminate non-public intel on Manafort aimed at harming Trump.
ORIGIN: 2016.
STATUS:❌False❌—Russian disinformation.
NOTE: See next tweet.
GOP CONSPIRACY THEORY 4: UKRAINE-CHALUPA-DNC
NOTE: Whereas there's no evidence for the CROWDSTRIKE, BURISMA, or BLACK LEDGER conspiracy theories, the false UKRAINE-CHALUPA-DNC conspiracy theory is built on a tiny stock of accurate information. So Trump will focus on this theory.
NOTE: Whereas there's no evidence for the CROWDSTRIKE, BURISMA, or BLACK LEDGER conspiracy theories, the false UKRAINE-CHALUPA-DNC conspiracy theory is built on a tiny stock of accurate information. So Trump will focus on this theory.
PS/ Below, I explain how Trump's defense will weaponize GOP CONSPIRACY THEORY 4 ("UKRAINE-CHALUPA-DNC") by *combining* a small amount of accurate info on noncriminal but unwise DNC-Ukraine contacts with rhetorical misdirection *and* Russian disinformation.
