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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#236651: Mar 25th 2018 at 10:04:32 PM

This is big.

Former Cambridge Analytica workers say firm sent foreigners to advise U.S. campaigns (commentary on a story from From Wa Po, because I don't have a subscription.)

Thread

1. Premise: "U.S. election regulations say foreign nationals must not “directly or indirectly participate in the decision-making process” of a political campaign, although they can play lesser roles."

See why we have a problem to begin with here?

CA assigned dozens of non-U.S. citizens to provide campaign strategy and messaging advice to ­GOP candidates in 2014, according to three former workers for the data firm, even as an attorney warned executives to abide by U.S. laws limiting foreign involvement in elections."

The above is the lead for Wa Po scoop here. It goes on: "The effort was designed to present the newly created company, whose parent, SCL Group, was based in London, as “an American brand” that would appeal to U.S. political clients,".

Wa Po GOT DOCUMENTS describing the program from former CA Research Director Christopher Wylie, who has become a whistleblower. Docs contain previously undisclosed details about the program, called "Project Ripon".

Cambridge Analytica heads, including (hear it) company President Rebekah Mercer, Vice President Stephen K. Bannon and Chief Executive Alexander Nix, were warned about restriction in a 10-page memo prepared by NY attorney Laurence Levy. Naturally, they went on and broke the law anyway bc hey, what's breaking electoral law on foreigners not being allowed to get involved in high level analysis or strategy, when we're merrily treasoning away?

Mueller must be sitting and counting how many more charges he can include in those sealed indictments right now. *Mueller grabs diary* *writes* "Dammit, no more pages." [1]

Document touting CA's 2014 work shows that MANY of those foreigners were involved in helping to decide what voters to target with political messages, and what messages to deliver. These foreigners' tasks included media relations, planning events, communications strategy, providing "talking points, speeches, debate prep" (really?), as well as FUNDRAISING and planning events. SERIOUSLY???

CA's "dirty little secret was that there was no one American involved in it, that it was a de facto foreign agent, working on an American election,” Wylie said.

Yes, you read that correctly.

You thought this was the worst? Well maybe not. Former workers at CA who were interviewed in London like Wylie are fearing they may have violated US law for all the above reasons and say concerns about the legality of CA work in the US were often discussed by employees.

CA employees were concerned the company "was giving its foreign employees potentially inaccurate immigration documents to provide upon entering the United States, showing that they were not there to work when they had arrived for the purpose of advising campaigns. [2]

Translation of previous point: they gave them TOURIST visas when instead they were there to work to advise US campaigns (which in and of itself IS A CRIME as foreigners can't do that). 4 replies 82 retweets 200 likes

"We knew that everything was not above board but we weren't too concerned about it. It was the Wild West.That's certainly how they carried on in 2014." This, from one of the previous CA workers. It's ASTONISHING to read this and yet WE KNEW they cheated.

"Company officials did not respond to multiple queries from The Post, nor did Bannon, Mercer or Nix." What a shock. NOT!

"The prospect of new legal scrutiny for Bannon comes at a turbulent time for the conservative strategist. " Noo, why? LOL. So to get this straight. Bannon went and talked to Mueller, told him everything for 20 hours. YET there may still be crimes out there to charge him with.

I don't know for sure what type of deal Bannon has, but it sure looked like a good one, that had Bannon defy Congress and make a very public scene to justify talking to Mueller (so he couldn't be accused of being disloyal). Now though? Looks different. It's possible Bannon was offered the same type of deal as Nunberg: immunity for himself in exchange for the intel he turned in. And he may have not said it all. We'll see. The lawyer situation makes me think he DID flip but one never knows.

"Project Ripon was described by Wylie and other workers as an ambitious effort in which Cambridge Analytica would advise American campaigns on how to use data to find “hidden Republicans.” WTF is "a hidden Republican"? This reeks of "let's make them up". Ripon also was the name of an online campaign management tool designed for the effort and described in a company brochure produced in London that was subtitled, “WINNING BACK AMERICA.” Yeah, now you win a trip back to UK jail, CA peeps!

"Company documents obtained by The Post show the U.S. program involved a staff of 41 employees and contractors, and spent $7.5 million between April and July 2014." You know, just coffee money for coffee boys.

So CA did work for VARIOUS GOP candidates in 2014, including Thom Tillis and the NC GOP. Both are all "it would be disturbing and not tolerated if a VENDOR (CA) misled us! We knew nothing". Exactly WHO do you think you're fooling? You are responsible for who you choose. NC GOP Director is all "No foreign workers worked for us". DUDE, you hired CA. That means YOU HIRED FOREIGNERS, you liar. Or is the concept too complicated to understand? [3]

Here comes the notorious John Bolton part, what with his super PAC paying CA to advise candidates in Arkansasa, New Hampshire and North Carolina. But you know, just merrily criming away. The talking point from Bolton's spox "OH HE made all the strategic decisions re: super PAC, not CA! Sure, Jan. He hired them NOT TO DO ANYTHING. Just how stupid do these people think we are?

The other talking point from Bolton's spox "Our contract said that CA's use of data was in compliance with applicable laws". OH! That makes the crimes disappear then! SERIOUSLY??

"We haven't worked with them since 2016! (oh really?) We were not aware of any impropriety until recent news reports! We dont' use their data anymore!" Well no s..t Sherlock, seen as you made use of it TO STEAL THE 2016 election! No need anymore.

Wylie (the CA whistleblower) told Wa Po "he was part of multiple conference calls in 2014 with Bannon and Nix, a Briton, in which strategic campaign matters were discussed." Nix's involvement is COMPLETELY illegal, just so we're clear, per the PREMISE at beginning of thread. Wylie said these conversations also often featured discussions about the legal issues raised in the July 2014 Levy memo." This point is key bc it shows "consciousness of guilt". THEY KNEW they were violating the law bc they were TOLD what not to do.

NONE of them could be reached for comment. Shocker, NOT! CA had previously told the NYT that " personnel in strategic roles were U.S. nationals or green card holders” and that Nix “never had any strategic or operational role”. Yeah, BUSTED, with docs, liars!

Wylie wisely declined to comment on whether he believes he violated the law when he was working for CA. Attorney must have advised him.

Campaign finance lawyer tells Wa Po that if Wylie is telling the truth, Do J can prosecute CA and its managers (THAT MEANS MERCER AND BANNON TOO) for "knowing and willful violations of the prohibition on foreign national contributions".

CA is bragging in docs about leading the campaign in Oregon for Art Robinson. They are saying they effectively managed the entire campaign. Robinson dolt Wa Po he met with Nix once and that his campaign team and CA "melded and worked side-by-side." Well, jolly good. Unreal.

CA former employees explained how there were very few Americans among them, yet they worked on US campaigns all the time. Wylie adds "There’s no such thing as managing targeting in a non-influential way". Well, no kidding. So yeah: violating the law.

fter 2014 successes, CA decided they could let employees know about you know, violating the freaking law? So Levy held a video conference explaining employees what US law entailed. At THAT point they got worried. But crimes had been committed already. A former CA employee said "“It only percolated down to the ranks once it was too late." The Cruz campaign is all "but we had a US manager supervise, so they didn't make the final decision". LOL, the law is not about "making the final decision".

"A Trump campaign official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to speak to the press, said the Cambridge team was managed by a U.S. citizen to ensure compliance." Trump lives to break the law, so BUH-BYE, anonymous!

"Nix, the chief executive, has portrayed his role as central to Trump’s winning effort, though others involved in the campaign have expressed doubts about this. " AND Nix bragged about it in the Channel 4 vid AND he told Tech Crunch in 2016. Obviously his role WAS central.

And thus endeth the great Wa Po scoop... reminder this is NOT simply from Wylie but from THREE former CA employees AND Wa Po has documents. So yeah, keep at it with snacks and beverages. Bc #Mueller Is Coming. /End

Almost nobody at Cambridge Analytica is an American Citizen, and worked on several GOP campaigns, this is beautiful. Mueller and the rest of the FBI, along with the DOJ are coming for them, and maybe even the British Government. This is just fantastic!

edited 25th Mar '18 10:19:14 PM by megaeliz

RedSavant Since: Jan, 2001
#236652: Mar 25th 2018 at 10:23:59 PM

This just keeps getting more and more unreal. Mueller found the thread, and it just doesn't stop unraveling.

It's been fun.
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#236653: Mar 25th 2018 at 10:25:12 PM

Doctored image of Parkland shooting survivor gone viral among the far right.

I'm sure this kind of thing doesn't surprise many of us anymore, but if you hear about something like this, here it is.

Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#236654: Mar 25th 2018 at 11:29:13 PM

Once again. It's the GOP not thinking long term.

I think collectively they lost the capacity to do that a while back. And really they're in a bad situation now anyways because even if they course-correct, their voterbase who's been conditioned by garbage like Fox News will throw a hissy fit and not vote for them.

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#236655: Mar 26th 2018 at 12:56:14 AM

The problem with not thinking long-term at all is that the long-term becomes the short-term a lot sooner than one thinks.

Disgusted, but not surprised
AngelusNox Warder of the damned from The guard of the gates of oblivion Since: Dec, 2014 Relationship Status: Married to the job
Warder of the damned
#236656: Mar 26th 2018 at 3:44:42 AM

Given the age of the average GOP member, they aren't going to live long enough to reap the consequences.

Inter arma enim silent leges
Deadbeatloser22 from Disappeared by Space Magic (Great Old One) Relationship Status: Tsundere'ing
#236657: Mar 26th 2018 at 4:03:19 AM

So exactly the same criticism that was levelled at the typical Brexit voter.

"Yup. That tasted purple."
Reflextion from a post-sanity world (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: What's love got to do with it?
#236658: Mar 26th 2018 at 5:07:07 AM

[up][up] And they're going to drive the cost of healthcare up so that the price of taking care of their asses in their dying years leaves the younger generation saddled with debt for the rest of their lives, just for that added bit of "fuck you"

edited 26th Mar '18 5:07:30 AM by Reflextion

Someone did tell me life was going to be this way.
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#236659: Mar 26th 2018 at 5:28:08 AM

Trump may end up with a court appointed lawyer yet.

At a Crucial Juncture, Trump’s Legal Defense Is Largely a One-Man Operation. note 

As President Trump heads into one of the most critical phases of the special counsel’s investigation, his personal legal team has shrunk to essentially just one member, and he is struggling to find any top lawyers willing to represent him.

Working for a president is usually seen as a dream job. But leading white-collar lawyers in Washington and New York have repeatedly spurned overtures to take over the defense of Mr. Trump, a mercurial client who often ignores his advisers’ guidance. In some cases, lawyers’ firms have blocked any talks, fearing a backlash that would hurt business.

The president lost two lawyers in just the past four days, including one who had been on board for less than a week.

Joseph diGenova, a longtime Washington lawyer who has pushed theories on Fox News that the F.B.I. made up evidence against Mr. Trump, left the team on Sunday. He had been hired last Monday, three days before the head of the president’s personal legal team, John Dowd, quit after determining that the president was not listening to his advice. Mr. Trump had also considered hiring Mr. diGenova’s wife, Victoria Toensing, but she will also not join the team.

That leaves the president with just one personal lawyer who is working full time on the special counsel’s investigation as Mr. Trump is facing one of the most significant decisions related to it: whether to sit for an interview.

That lawyer, Jay Sekulow, is a conservative commentator who made his name on religious freedom cases. Mr. Sekulow is in talks with other lawyers about joining the team, although it is not clear how far those discussions have progressed.

Hours before the announcement of Mr. diGenova’s departure, which Mr. Sekulow said was related to a conflict of interest, the president took to Twitter to reject any suggestion that lawyers do not want to work for him.

“Many lawyers and top law firms want to represent me in the Russia case … don’t believe the Fake News narrative that it is hard to find a lawyer who wants to take this on,” he wrote. “Fame & fortune will NEVER be turned down by a lawyer, though some are conflicted.”

Adding new lawyers, he said, would be costly because they would take months “to get up to speed (if for no other reason than they can bill more).”

“I am very happy with my existing team,” he added.

This month, the president met with the veteran lawyer Emmet Flood about the possibility of joining the legal team. But Mr. Trump was put off by the fact that Mr. Flood, a Republican, had represented Bill Clinton during his impeachment process, and Mr. Flood has made clear that he will not represent the president if Marc E. Kasowitz, his brash longtime personal lawyer, has any role in the effort.

Mr. Trump also tried to recruit Theodore B. Olson, a well-known Republican lawyer, but Mr. Olson has said he would not be representing the president.

The first phase of legal work for Mr. Trump in the inquiry by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, was led by a White House lawyer, Ty Cobb. That work, which in part involved the production of documents and the arrangement of interviews with White House officials, has been largely completed.

The second phase, which is now focused on the question of a presidential interview with Mr. Mueller, had been led by Mr. Dowd. One reason Mr. Dowd quit was that, against his advice, Mr. Trump was insistent that he wanted to answer questions under oath from Mr. Mueller, believing that it would help clear him.

Mr. Dowd had concluded that there was no upside and that the president, who often does not tell the truth, could increase his legal exposure if his answers were not accurate.

Roger Cossack, a seasoned legal analyst, said the key to successfully defending a high-profile client under immense scrutiny was to have a cohesive legal team with a consistent strategy.

Or to put it another way:

THREAD/ Trump effectively has no lawyers:

  1. Mc Gahn is a witness against him.
  2. He no longer trusts Cobb and discusses firing him.
  3. Dowd resigned.
  4. Di Genova and Toensing chose not to join the team.
  5. Sekulow is more activist than lawyer.
  6. Cohen is mired in scandal.

edited 26th Mar '18 5:34:32 AM by megaeliz

archonspeaks Since: Jun, 2013
#236660: Mar 26th 2018 at 5:44:07 AM

There’s a good chance Cohen could end up disbarred over the whole Stormy Daniels thing. The cash payouts are a big violation of the rules of professional conduct for lawyers, it’s like the number one thing you’re not supposed to do.

They should have sent a poet.
Grafite Since: Apr, 2016 Relationship Status: Less than three
#236661: Mar 26th 2018 at 6:07:10 AM

[up][up][up] Denying basic rights (healthcare) to a group of people because of selfishness is not how a society should work. You help those who can't help themselves if you are in a position to and then get the same benefits if you find ever yourself in a similar situation.

edited 26th Mar '18 6:07:38 AM by Grafite

Life is unfair...
Reflextion from a post-sanity world (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: What's love got to do with it?
#236662: Mar 26th 2018 at 6:28:06 AM

[up] Tell that to the GOP.

Someone did tell me life was going to be this way.
Kayeka (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#236663: Mar 26th 2018 at 6:29:59 AM

[up][up]They believe they won't find themselves in such a situation because they are good, hardworking Americans.

edited 26th Mar '18 6:30:13 AM by Kayeka

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#236664: Mar 26th 2018 at 6:30:34 AM

To think, I was mostly kidding about the public defender thing...

megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#236665: Mar 26th 2018 at 7:01:19 AM

He's been suprisingly restrained after last night.

The economy is looking really good. It has been many years that we have seen these kind of numbers. The underlying strength of companies has perhaps never been better.

So much Fake News. Never been more voluminous or more inaccurate. But through it all, our country is doing great!

I've been noticing a lot less obviously automated bots in the comments lately. I guess the purge Twitter did is actually having an effect. (Don't get me wrong, there are still a lot of bots though.).

edited 26th Mar '18 7:08:50 AM by megaeliz

PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#236666: Mar 26th 2018 at 7:05:51 AM

WHAT THE FUCK, he knows the word "VOLUMINOUS"?!

megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
#236668: Mar 26th 2018 at 7:07:08 AM

It's long been established that he doesn't write all of his tweets. Once he used the word "excoriate".

edited 26th Mar '18 7:07:19 AM by TerminusEst

Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
Deadbeatloser22 from Disappeared by Space Magic (Great Old One) Relationship Status: Tsundere'ing
#236669: Mar 26th 2018 at 7:10:21 AM

Pro tip: If it's coherent, it was probably an intern writing.

"Yup. That tasted purple."
speedyboris Since: Feb, 2010
#236670: Mar 26th 2018 at 7:12:05 AM

I caught most of the 60 Minutes interview. Interestingly, the best stuff came not from Stormy herself but from her attorney. I especially liked the point about how this isn't about the affair, it's about the cover-up and the threats afterwards. The most sickening remark made by one of Trump's attorneys (forget which) is that, after he won the court case, he would take a nice vacation on Stormy's dime. What a dick remark.

[up]x7 Speaking of "good hard-working Americans", a criticism I hear all the time from Trump supporters/Russian trolls/useful idiots is that the Democrats care more about illegals than about "average Americans". It's not true, of course, but it's something that absolutely needs to be addressed/rebutted repeatedly before the midterms. Because I feel like while there is a blue wave possible, if we don't counter the xenophobia crowd's accusations, the GOP can hammer home their usual scare tactics and those on the fence might reluctantly vote GOP again despite their reservations.

edited 26th Mar '18 7:14:16 AM by speedyboris

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#236671: Mar 26th 2018 at 7:13:20 AM

I don't think that's a realistic problem, there's already strong evidence of a massive enthusiasm gap between Democratic and Republican voters and I don't see how bog-standard GOP rhetoric is going to change that.

(also when they say "average Americans" they mean white people).

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#236672: Mar 26th 2018 at 7:14:35 AM

I feel like the twitter is all theatre,people eat that stuff up

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
speedyboris Since: Feb, 2010
#236673: Mar 26th 2018 at 7:14:44 AM

[up]x2 "they mean white people"

Oh, I'm well aware.

edited 26th Mar '18 7:14:52 AM by speedyboris

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#236674: Mar 26th 2018 at 7:15:59 AM

[up]Fair enough, I just wanted to point that out if anyone didn't know.

edited 26th Mar '18 7:16:08 AM by Fourthspartan56

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#236675: Mar 26th 2018 at 7:16:07 AM

[up][up][up]There's a reason I don't have a Twitter account.

edited 26th Mar '18 7:16:14 AM by M84

Disgusted, but not surprised

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