And here it is.

The New York Times confirms Trump’s claims, which have been frequently dismissed by major media outlets as kooky and conspiratorial, true. Under the Obama administration, the intelligence community DOJ officials spied on Trump’s campaign.

Operation “Crossfire Hurricane” is what they called it. It was a super double secret operation that only a handful of agents and DOJ officials were aware of.

Agents, “obtained phone records and other documents using national security letters — a secret type of subpoena” and “at least one government informant met several times with Mr. Page and Mr. Papadopoulos.”

The timing of the report is…suspect:

Make absolutely NO MISTAKE, today’s NY Times story on #CrossfireHurricane is a timed leak through the NY Times propaganda machine to head off the damaging information about to come out in the IG report. The NY Times is a disgrace, no better than Pravda. — Dan Bongino (@dbongino) May 16, 2018

Absolutely. It was also confirmation that our intelligence apparatus was being used to spy on a presidential campaign. #CrossfireHurricane will be exposed for what it is and so much more https://t.co/538emjP8qq — Sara A. Carter (@SaraCarterDC) May 17, 2018

The NYT report briefly mentions the upcoming IG report in reference to text messages exchanged between agents Strzok and Page:

The inspector general’s upcoming report is expected to criticize those messages for giving the appearance of bias. It is not clear, however, whether inspectors found evidence supporting Mr. Trump’s assertion that agents tried to protect Mrs. Clinton, a claim the F.B.I. has adamantly denied.

The FBI was concerned Trump would be vindicated if the public found out they’d been spying on the now-president.

This NYT story says that FBI was worried that if it came out they were spying on Trump campaign it would "only reinforce his claims that the election was being rigged against him." Yes, I can imagine that would reinforce those claims. I mean, !!! !!! !!! !!! — Mollie (@MZHemingway) May 16, 2018

Basically:

#FBI OLD AND BUSTED: "we definitely weren't spying on Trump, that's a conspiracy theory"#FBI NEW HOTNESS: "Of course we were spying on Trump! With covert informants and electronic surveillance. It was our patriotic duty. What, you don't like it? You must be a bot or a bigot" https://t.co/wUFqklkFbB — Undercover Huber (@JohnWHuber) May 16, 2018

Kimberly Strassel, a reporter for the WSJ has a concise breakdown:

1. So a few important points on that new NYT "Hurricane Crossfire" piece. A story that, BTW, all of us following this knew had to be coming. This is DOJ/FBI leakers' attempt to get in front of the facts Nunes is forcing out, to make it not sound so bad. Don't buy it. It's bad. — Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) May 17, 2018

2. Biggest takeaway: Govt "sources" admit that, indeed, the Obama DOJ and FBI spied on the Trump campaign. Spied. (Tho NYT kindly calls spy an "informant.") NYT slips in confirmation far down in story, and makes it out like it isn't a big deal. It is a very big deal. — Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) May 17, 2018

3. In self-serving desire to get a sympathetic story about its actions, DOJ/FBI leakers are willing to provide yet more details about that "top secret" source (namely, that spying was aimed at Page/Papadopoulos)–making all more likely/certain source will be outed. That's on them — Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) May 17, 2018

4. DOJ/FBI (and its leakers) have shredded what little credibility they have in claiming they cannot comply with subpoena. They are willing to provide details to friendly media, but not Congress? Willing to risk very source they claim to need to protect? — Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) May 17, 2018

5. Back in Dec., NYT assured us it was the Papadopoulos-Downer convo that inspired FBI to launch official counterintelligence operation on July 31, 2016. Which was convenient, since it diminished the role of the dossier. However . . . — Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) May 17, 2018

5. Back in Dec., NYT assured us it was the Papadopoulos-Downer convo that inspired FBI to launch official counterintelligence operation on July 31, 2016. Which was convenient, since it diminished the role of the dossier. However . . . — Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) May 17, 2018

6. Now NYT tells us FBI didn't debrief downer until August 2nd. And Nunes says no "official intelligence" from allies was delivered to FBI about that convo prior to July 31. So how did FBI get Downer details? (Political actors?) And what really did inspire the CI investigation? — Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) May 17, 2018

7. As for whether to believe line that FBI operated soberly/carefully/judiciously in 2016, a main source for this judgment is, um . . .uh . . . Sally Yates. Who was in middle of it all. A bit like asking Putin to reassure that Russia didn't meddle in our election. — Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) May 17, 2018

8. On that, if u r wondering who narrated this story, note paragraphs that assure everybody that hardly anybody in DOJ knew about probe. Oh, and Comey also was given few details. Nobody knew nothin'! (Cuz when u require whole story saying u behaved, it means u know you didn't.) — Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) May 17, 2018

There are many apologies owed to the Trump family. None of which they’ll see in this lifetime.



