"Fusion GPS announce in their book they pitched the DNC on Trump-Russia before they were even hacked".
Yes, but did Perkins Coie actually retain Fusion GPS before or after they knew of hacking? I've parsed Fusion book and I don't think that one can say for sure.
Yes, but did Perkins Coie actually retain Fusion GPS before or after they knew of hacking? I've parsed Fusion book and I don't think that one can say for sure.
2/ Fusion first pitched Perkins Coie on March 1, but no bite. They pitched again on April 20, two days after Yared Tamene installed new monitoring tools (which led to pre-Crowdstrike hacking concern.) 
3/ Fusion doesn't appear to have been hired on Apr 20. Fusion book doesn't give exact date and perhaps inconsistently says that Fusion team was "soon hired" and that "formalizing engagement ... would take weeks".
4/ as I read the Fusion book, I get the impression that Simpson's concept of the project being undertaken for DNC included Steele from the outset. (Fusion book revealed for first time that Fusion-Steele already working together on Manafort for Deripaska litigation)
5/ we know from Fusion book that Simpson traveled to UK in "mid-May", meeting Steele at Heathrow airport after going to Scotland. Say May 15. My estimate is that Simpson took this trip within couple of days of reaching agreement with Perkins Coie.
6/ Fusion book also says that Berkowitz started work on "tour de sleaze" in early May and finished by May 19.
7/ reasonable people can disagree, but here's my estimate: Fusion started Berkowitz work while they were still negotiating details of Perkins Coie agreement, but started Steele phase only after finalizing agreement that included work using Russian specialists. This could explain
8/ some inconsistency on date on which DNC-Fusion contract began (April vs May.) This play in commencement date is VERY MATERIAL to what Perkins Coie knew about hack at time that Steele phase of work was commissioned.
9/ Crowdstrike identified hackers on DNC system that they identified as Russians on May 6, reporting to Perkins Coie immediately.
10/ on scenario proposed here, Perkins Coie finalized their agreement with Fusion on or about May 10, with Simpson going to meet Steele in UK on ~May 15. This means that Perkins Coie would have known about Russian hack shortly BEFORE finalizing agreement with Fusion/Steele.
11/ to keep dates in perspective, as I observed more than 2 years ago, nearly all hacked DNC emails were SENT after May 6, date on which DNC hacking KNOWN FOR SURE.
climateaudit.org/2017/09/02/ema… . Emails exfiltrated on May 23-25. 30-day retention policy.
climateaudit.org/2017/09/02/ema… . Emails exfiltrated on May 23-25. 30-day retention policy.
