Thread by @aaronjmate

1/ One of Russiagate's biggest conspiracy theories is that Konstantin Kilimnik is a Russian spy who shared sensitive Trump polling data w/ Russia.

This interview by @JakeTapper of ex-Trump aide Rick Gates destroys these claims & displays the media malpractice that spread them:

2/ re: spy claim, Gates notes Kilimnik was "a high-value asset" of the US, but Mueller/Senate excluded evidence of this. (see e.g. realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2020/…)

Gates also poses a simple Q that most journalists, including @JakeTapper, have not re: spy claim: "Where’s the evidence?"

3/ Gates then debunks notion that KK got sensitive polling data: "it was called top-line data. That is simply that it has Trump 50 percent, Clinton 48 percent... It was a combination of some internal polling on specific states, as well as a lot of public data that was shared."

4/ Gates adds another insight that @jaketapper & countless others should ponder: “Let's make sure we have all the facts before jumping to conclusions, which is exactly what they did with the Mueller investigation & the idea that there was Russia collusion w/ the Trump campaign."

5/ BTW, in prior clip @jaketapper makes an error. Trump team actually cooperated w/ Mueller: after all, WH counsel Don McGahn was Mueller's star witness. WH didn’t refuse an interview: they challenged Mueller to convince a judge why one was justified, given Mueller had no crime.

6/ Rick Gates also destroys the recently fashionable conspiracy theory that Roger Stone told Trump about DNC hack in mid-2016. Gates said this came from Mueller team asking "speculative questions" & using them to "cherry-pick" info.

@JakeTapper then ends the interview.

7/ The significance of Gates saying all this needs to underscored: it was his witness testimony that was used by Mueller & Senate & countless media stenographers to push the polling data and "Roger Stone told Trump" conspiracy theories. He's telling you it's bullshit.

8/ Note how @jaketapper gets indignant when Gates says there's no evidence that Kilimnik is a Russian spy & a lot of evidence that he isn't one. That's because Russiagate journalism is basically fan fiction, and anything that challenges the narrative is greeted w/ hostility.