| | | | 8 indisputable facts about the Russia investigation | | Friday's news that special counsel Robert Mueller had announced indictments against 13 Russians for their alleged roles in a massive -- and complex -- attempt to influence the outcome of the 2016 election is a major moment in the investigation.
It marks the point at which no sane person can dispute this basic fact: Russia actively sought to interfere in our election in support of Donald Trump.
Most people have long believed that as fact -- largely because the US intelligence community has unanimously agreed on that fact for much of the last year.
Donald Trump is not most people. He has repeatedly left open the possibility that Russia wasn't responsible for the election interference, suggesting China or even a "guy sitting on his bed who weighs 400 pounds" might be behind it.
For Trump, acknowledging Russia tried to meddle in the 2016 election to help him is tantamount to acknowledging that he didn't win fair and square. Of course, it isn't.
So, let's just go through some of the facts: - Russia engaged in a deep and broad attempt to influence the 2016 election.
- That plan included social media ads, rally organizing and in-person conversations.
- "Unwitting" people with ties to Trump's campaign were communicated with in the course of this attempted meddling.
- There is no known evidence that Russia's interference operation was successful or changed the election outcome in any way.
- There is no known evidence that members of Trump's campaign colluded with any known Russian actors.
- Two members of Trump's campaign -- national security adviser Mike Flynn and foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos -- have pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and are cooperating with the Mueller probe.
- Two other members of the Trump campaign -- chairman Paul Manafort and his deputy Rick Gates -- have been charged with a variety of financial crimes by Mueller. (Gates, according to CNN reporting, is nearing a plea deal with Mueller.)
- Russia views its attempted meddling in the 2016 election as a massive success and will almost certainly try to meddle in the 2018 midterm elections and the 2020 presidential election.
The Point: The Mueller investigation is no "hoax" and no political "witch hunt." Unfortunately, those are the words that President Trump has continually chosen to describe Mueller's probe. | | "The indictment alleges that the Russian conspirators want to promote discord in the United States and undermine public confidence in democracy.
We must not allow them to succeed."
- Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein | | | FBI SAYS IT FAILED TO ACT ON TIP ABOUT PARKLAND SHOOTER | | CNN's Shimon Prokupecz reported Friday that the FBI perhaps could have helped prevent the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, which left 17 dead. From his story:
"The FBI failed to act on a tip about Nikolas Cruz, the confessed shooter in the Parkland, Florida, school massacre, the bureau said in a statement on Friday.
A person close to Cruz contacted the FBI on January 5 to report concerns about him, the FBI said. But the bureau did not appropriately follow established protocols in following up on the tip. 'The information was not provided to the Miami Field Office, and no further investigation was conducted at that time,' the statement said.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions ordered a review Friday into how the Justice Department and FBI respond to indications of potential violence."
Read more in CNN's story here and about the victims of the Florida school shooting here. | | ROMNEY ANNOUNCES SENATE BID | | It's official: Mitt Romney is running for Senate.
CNN's Maeve Reston reported Friday: "Romney said in a video announcement Friday that he will run for the US Senate from Utah, setting out on a glide path to Washington where he will likely play a central role driving the direction of the fractious Republican Party.
Until relatively recently, this would have been an unlikely path for Romney, who retreated from the national spotlight after losing the 2012 presidential election to then-President Barack Obama. But Romney has re-emerged on the political scene as a powerful voice calling out the inflammatory statements and conduct of President Donald Trump.
'I have decided to run for United States Senate because I believe I can help bring Utah's values and Utah's lessons to Washington,' he says in the clip."
As The Boston Globe pointed out, this marks Romney's fifth campaign for office in 24 years. Read Chris' Q&A with Scott Helman, an editor at the Boston Globe and longtime Mitt-storian, here. | | Maeve also reported Friday: "Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti will make his first foray into the Palmetto State as a potential 2020 presidential contender next week, addressing a South Carolina Democratic Party fundraiser and gathering a group of mayors from across the country to discuss jobs and infrastructure. Garcetti is traveling to the state for a two-day conference hosted by Accelerator for America, the nonprofit group that he launched last year to develop policy with other mayors, business leaders and philanthropists. Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin is hosting the group's second meeting."
Garcetti has previously hinted at a possible presidential bid. Last year, he traveled to Wisconsin in June, where he spoke at the state's Democratic Party convention; New Hampshire in August, where he helped campaign for Manchester mayoral candidate Joyce Craig; and Indiana in November. Earlier this week, he met with Democratic chairs of Iowa and New Hampshire in Long Beach. He told Politico he plans to visit Iowa in March.
Saba wrote about Garcetti's presidential potential in December. | | | No GIF again today out of respect for victims of the high school shooting in Florida. We hope you have a great three-day weekend. Stay tuned for a special mini edition of The Point on Monday. | | | We'd love to share our other newsletters with you. Follow this link for daily coverage of the world's top stories, savvy market insights, an insider's look into the media and more. Our authors for The Point are Chris Cillizza and Saba Hamedy. Send your tips and thoughts via email to Chris or Saba. Follow on Twitter: Chris and Saba. | | | | | | |
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