Per the left leaning "The Hill" Russia starts with the Clinton's and Obama

[jtssrx]

http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/355749-fbi-uncovered-russian-bribery-plot-before-obama-administration?amp

 

October 17, 2017 - 06:00 AM EDT

FBI uncovered Russian bribery plot before Obama administration approved controversial nuclear deal with Moscow

 

BY JOHN SOLOMON AND ALISON SPANN TWEET SHARE EMAIL

Before the Obama administration approved a controversial deal in 2010 giving Moscow control of a large swath of American uranium, the FBI had gathered substantial evidence that Russian nuclear industry officials were engaged in bribery, kickbacks, extortion and money laundering designed to grow Vladimir Putin's atomic energy business inside the United States, according to government documents and interviews.

Federal agents used a confidential U.S. witness working inside the Russian nuclear industry to gather extensive financial records, make secret recordings and intercept emails as early as 2009 that showed Moscow had compromised an American uranium trucking firm with bribes and kickbacks in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, FBI and court documents show.

They also obtained an eyewitness account - backed by documents - indicating Russian nuclear officials had routed millions of dollars to the U.S. designed to benefit former President Bill Clinton's charitable foundation during the time Secretary of State Hillary Clinton served on a government body that provided a favorable decision to Moscow, sources told The Hill.

The racketeering scheme was conducted "with the consent of higher level officials" in Russia who "shared the proceeds" from the kickbacks, one agent declared in an affidavit years later.

 

 

 

Rather than bring immediate charges in 2010, however, the Department of Justice (DOJ) continued investigating the matter for nearly four more years, essentially leaving the American public and Congress in the dark about Russian nuclear corruption on U.S. soil during a period when the Obama administration made two major decisions benefitting Putin's commercial nuclear ambitions.

The first decision occurred in October 2010, when the State Department and government agencies on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States unanimously approved the partial sale of Canadian mining company Uranium One to the Russian nuclear giant Rosatom, giving Moscow control of more than 20 percent of America's uranium supply.

 

 

 

When this sale was used by Trump on the campaign trail last year, Hillary Clinton's spokesman said she was not involved in the committee review and noted the State Department official who handled it said she "never intervened ... on any [Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States] matter."

In 2011, the administration gave approval for Rosatom's Tenex subsidiary to sell commercial uranium to U.S. nuclear power plants in a partnership with the United States Enrichment Corp. Before then, Tenex had been limited to selling U.S. nuclear power plants reprocessed uranium recovered from dismantled Soviet nuclear weapons under the 1990s Megatons to Megawatts peace program.

 

 

 

"The Russians were compromising American contractors in the nuclear industry with kickbacks and extortion threats, all of which raised legitimate national security concerns. And none of that evidence got aired before the Obama administration made those decisions," a person who worked on the case told The Hill, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution by U.S. or Russian officials.

The Obama administration's decision to approve Rosatom's purchase of Uranium One has been a source of political controversy since 2015.

That's when conservative author Peter Schweitzer and The New York Times documented how Bill Clinton collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in Russian speaking fees and his charitable foundation collected millions in donations from parties interested in the deal while Hillary Clinton presided on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.

The Obama administration and the Clintons defended their actions at the time, insisting there was no evidence that any Russians or donors engaged in wrongdoing and there was no national security reason for any member of the committee to oppose the Uranium One deal.

But FBI, Energy Department and court documents reviewed by The Hill show the FBI in fact had gathered substantial evidence well before the committee's decision that Vadim Mikerin - the main Russian overseeing Putin's nuclear expansion inside the United States - was engaged in wrongdoing starting in 2009.

Then-Attorney General Eric Holder was among the Obama administration officials joining Hillary Clinton on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States at the time the Uranium One deal was approved. Multiple current and former government officials told The Hill they did not know whether the FBI or DOJ ever alerted committee members to the criminal activity they uncovered.

Spokesmen for Holder and Clinton did not return calls seeking comment. The Justice Department also didn't comment.

Mikerin was a director of Rosatom's Tenex in Moscow since the early 2000s, where he oversaw Rosatom's nuclear collaboration with the United States under the Megatons to Megwatts program and its commercial uranium sales to other countries. In 2010, Mikerin was dispatched to the U.S. on a work visa approved by the Obama administration to open Rosatom's new American arm called Tenam.

Between 2009 and January 2012, Mikerin "did knowingly and willfully combine, conspire confederate and agree with other persons ... to obstruct, delay and affect commerce and the movement of an article and commodity (enriched uranium) in commerce by extortion," a November 2014 indictment stated.

His illegal conduct was captured with the help of a confidential witness, an American businessman, who began making kickback payments at Mikerin's direction and with the permission of the FBI. The first kickback payment recorded by the FBI through its informant was dated Nov. 27, 2009, the records show.

In evidentiary affidavits signed in 2014 and 2015, an Energy Department agent assigned to assist the FBI in the case testified that Mikerin supervised a "racketeering scheme" that involved extortion, bribery, money laundering and kickbacks that were both directed by and provided benefit to more senior officials back in Russia.

"As part of the scheme, Mikerin, with the consent of higher level officials at TENEX and Rosatom (both Russian state-owned entities) would offer no-bid contracts to US businesses in exchange for kickbacks in the form of money payments made to some offshore banks accounts," Agent David Garden testified.

"Mikerin apparently then shared the proceeds with other co-conspirators associated with TENEX in Russia and elsewhere," the agent added.

The investigation was ultimately supervised by then-U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein, an Obama appointee who now serves as President Trump's deputy attorney general, and then-Assistant FBI Director Andrew McCabe, now the deputy FBI director under Trump, Justice Department documents show.

Both men now play a key role in the current investigation into possible, but still unproven collusion between Russia and Donald Trump's campaign during the 2016 election. McCabe is under congressional and Justice Department inspector general investigation in connection with money his wife's Virginia state Senate campaign accepted in 2015 from now-Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe at a time when McAuliffe was reportedly under investigation by the FBI.

The connections to the current Russia case are many. The Mikerin probe began in 2009 when Robert Mueller, now the special counsel in charge of the Trump case, was still FBI director. And it ended in late 2015 under the direction of then-FBI Director James Comey, who Trump fired earlier this year.

Its many twist and turns aside, the FBI nuclear industry case proved a gold mine, in part because it uncovered a new Russian money laundering apparatus that routed bribe and kickback payments through financial instruments in Cyprus, Latvia and Seychelles. A Russian financier in New Jersey was among those arrested for the money laundering, court records show.

The case also exposed a serious national security breach: Mikerin had given a contract to an American trucking firm called Transport Logistics International that held the sensitive job of transporting Russia's uranium around the United States in return for more than $2 million in kickbacks from some of its executives, court records show.

One of Mikerin's former employees told the FBI that Tenex officials in Russia specifically directed the scheme to "allow for padded pricing to include kickbacks," agents testified in one court filing.

Bringing down a major Russian nuclear corruption scheme that had both compromised a sensitive uranium transportation asset inside the U.S. and facilitated international money laundering would seem a major feather in any law enforcement agency's cap.

But the Justice Department and FBI took little credit in 2014 when Mikerin, the Russian financier and the trucking firm executives were arrested and charged.

The only public statement occurred an entire year later when the Justice Department put out a little-noticed press release in August 2015, just days before Labor Day. The release noted that the various defendants had reached plea deals.

By that time, the criminal cases against Mikerin had been narrowed to a single charge of money laundering for a scheme that officials admitted stretched from 2004 to 2014. And though agents had evidence of criminal wrongdoing they collected since at least 2009, federal prosecutors only cited in the plea agreement a handful of transactions that occurred in 2011 and 2012, well after the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States's approval.

The final court case also made no mention of any connection to the influence peddling conversations the FBI undercover informant witnessed about the Russian nuclear officials trying to ingratiate themselves with the Clintons even though agents had gathered documents showing the transmission of millions of dollars from Russia's nuclear industry to an American entity that had provided assistance to Bill Clinton's foundation, sources confirmed to The Hill.

The lack of fanfare left many key players in Washington with no inkling that a major Russian nuclear corruption scheme with serious national security implications had been uncovered.

On Dec. 15, 2015, the Justice Department put out a release stating that Mikerin, "a former Russian official residing in Maryland was sentenced today to 48 months in prison" and ordered to forfeit more than $2.1 million.

Ronald Hosko, who served as the assistant FBI director in charge of criminal cases when the investigation was underway, told The Hill he did not recall ever being briefed about Mikerin's case by the counterintelligence side of the bureau despite the criminal charges that were being lodged.

"I had no idea this case was being conducted," a surprised Hosko said in an interview.

Likewise, major congressional figures were also kept in the dark.

Former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.), who chaired the House Intelligence Committee during the time the FBI probe was being conducted, told The Hill that he had never been told anything about the Russian nuclear corruption case even though many fellow lawmakers had serious concerns about the Obama administration's approval of the Uranium One deal.

"Not providing information on a corruption scheme before the Russian uranium deal was approved by U.S. regulators and engage appropriate congressional committees has served to undermine U.S. national security interests by the very people charged with protecting them," he said. "The Russian efforts to manipulate our American political enterprise is breathtaking."

Indictment Affidavit by M Mali on Scribd

Warrant Affidavit by M Mali on Scribd

Mikerin Plea Deal by M Mali on Scribd

TWEET SHARE EMAIL

[jtssrx]

 

[Highmark]

[Sleepr2]

It's ok if a lib does it.

[Highmark]

6 minutes ago, Sleepr2 said:

It's ok if a lib does it.

Reverse this and MC would throw himself out a window.    

[Sleepr2]

3 minutes ago, Highmark said:

Reverse this and MC would throw himself out a window.    

I doubt it, I'm sure he's restrained somehow considering how unhinged he's been 

[Carlos Danger]

Could this be considered collusion?

[T1R9sledder]

Pretty damning story......Stay tuned this could get really interesting for some people.

[Highmark]

Just now, T1R9sledder said:

Pretty damning story......Stay tuned this could get really interesting for some people.

There really isn't that much new info in it.   This stuff has been out for a long time and all but ignored by everyone in the MSM except Fox and surprisingly the NY Times.

I think the mere fact that the NYT's ran this story is extremely telling in its importance.   A story so huge even though they fully support any dem they feel they had to run it.  

https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/24/us/cash-flowed-to-clinton-foundation-as-russians-pressed-for-control-of-uranium-company.html

 

[Pete]

Clinton crime family living up to its name. Yet liberals love them 2.. lmao

[Highmark]

Wikileaks on the Clinton Russia uranium deal.

https://wikileaks.org/podesta-emails/press-release

Today WikiLeaks begins its series on deals involving Hillary Clinton campaign Chairman John Podesta. Mr Podesta is a long-term associate of the Clintons and was President Bill Clinton's Chief of Staff from 1998 until 2001. Mr Podesta also controls the Podesta Group, a major lobbying firm and is the Chair of the Center for American Progress (CAP), a Washington DC-based think tank. Part 1 of the Podesta Emails comprises 2,060 emails and 170 attachments and focuses on Mr Podesta's communications relating to nuclear energy, and media handling over donations to the Clinton Foundation from mining and nuclear interests; 1,244 of the emails reference nuclear energy. The full collection includes emails to and from Hillary Clinton.

In April 2015 the New York Times published a story about a company called "Uranium One" which was sold to Russian government-controlled interests, giving Russia effective control of one-fifth of all uranium production capacity in the United States. Since uranium is considered a strategic asset, with implications for the production of nuclear weapons, the deal had to be approved by a committee composed of representatives from a number of US government agencies. Among the agencies that eventually signed off the deal was the State Department, then headed by Secretary Clinton. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) comprises, among others, the secretaries of the Treasury, Defense, Homeland Security, Commerce and Energy.

As Russian interests gradually took control of Uranium One millions of dollars were donated to the Clinton Foundation between 2009 and 2013 from individuals directly connected to the deal including the Chairman of Uranium One, Ian Telfer. Although Mrs Clinton had an agreement with the Obama White House to publicly identify all donors to the Clinton Foundation, the contributions from the Chairman of Uranium One were not publicly disclosed by the Clintons.

When the New York Times article was published the Clinton campaign spokesman, Brian Fallon, strongly rejected the possibility that then-Secretary Clinton exerted any influence in the US goverment's review of the sale of Uranium One, describing this possibility as "baseless".

Mr Fallon promptly sent a memo to the New York Times with a rebuttal of the story (Podesta Email ID 1489).

In this memo, Mr Fallon argued: "Apart from the fact that the State Department was one of just nine agencies involved in CFIUS, it is also true that within the State Department, the CFIUS approval process historically does not trigger the personal involvement of the Secretary of State. The State Department’s principal representative to CFIUS was the Assistant Secretary of State for Economic, Energy and Business Affairs. During the time period in question, that position was held by Jose Fernandez. As you are aware, Mr Fernandez has personally attested that “Secretary Clinton never intervened with me on any CFIUS matter.”

What the Clinton campaign spokesman failed to disclose, however, was the fact that a few days before sending his rebuttal to the New York Times, Jose Fernandez wrote on the evening of the 17 April 2015 to John Podesta following a phone call from Mr Podesta (Email ID 2053): "John, It was good to talk to you this afternoon, and I appreciate your taking the time to call. As I mentioned, I would like to do all I can to support Secretary Clinton, and would welcome your advice and help in steering me to the right persons in the campaign".

Five days after this email (22 April 2015), Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon wrote a memo to the New York Times, declaring that "Jose Fernandez has personally attested that 'Secretary Clinton never intervened with me on any CFIUS matter',” but Fallon failed to mention that Fernandez was hardly a neutral witness in this case, considering that he had agreed with John Podesta to play a role in the Clinton campaign.

The emails show that the contacts between John Podesta and Jose Fernandez go back to the time of internal Clinton campaign concern about the then-forthcoming book and movie "Clinton Cash" by Peter Schweizer on the financial dealings of the Clinton Foundation.

In an email dated 29 March 2015 (Email ID 2059), Jose Fernandez writes to Podesta: "Hi John, I trust you are getting a brief rest after a job well done. Thanks no doubt to your recommendation I have joined the CAP [Center for American Progress] board of trustees, which I'm finding extremely rewarding."

Julian Assange

[oleroule]

quick, someone break a toe.

[Highmark]

Ask yourself what is more disturbing.  Clinton not being involved with the CFIUS decision this monumental or being involved and allowing it.   Honestly both are extremely disturbing in a number of ways.  Merely excluding herself from the vote indicates collusion almost as much as a yes vote to allow the purchase.  If not the mere fact that she was not involved seems to me a dereliction of duties as SoS on a decision of this magnitude.  

In 2009-10 the CFIUS recommended to Obama to block a Chinese company from purchasing 51% of a gold mine that was 50 miles from a Navel Aviator Training grounds.  Wonder if Mrs. Clinton was personally involved in that vote.  

https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=28302d19-ca91-4377-8096-bf53e07982e9

[T1R9sledder]

6 minutes ago, Highmark said:

Ask yourself what is more disturbing.  Clinton not being involved with the CFIUS decision this monumental or being involved and allowing it.   Honestly both are extremely disturbing in a number of ways.  Merely excluding herself from the vote indicates collusion almost as much as a yes vote to allow the purchase.  If not the mere fact that she was not involved seems to me a dereliction of duties as SoS on a decision of this magnitude.  

In 2009-10 the CFIUS recommended to Obama to block a Chinese company from purchasing 51% of a gold mine that was 50 miles from a Navel Aviator Training grounds.  Wonder if Mrs. Clinton was personally involved in that vote.  

https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=28302d19-ca91-4377-8096-bf53e07982e9

As long the Clintons got cash they didn't care. For them it's all about  $$$$$$

[Snoslinger]

 

[Carlos Danger]

1 hour ago, Snoslinger said:

 

I know right. I mean it only involves urainium and Clinton payoffs and possibly FBI cover up and misleading congress which is nothing compared to Trump's aledgedly? Hey what was it he is supposedly guilty of?

[f7ben]

3 hours ago, Snoslinger said:

 

my god are you a clown

[Snoslinger]

2 minutes ago, f7ben said:

my god are you a clown

and you an idiot, but what else is new.

say, where's the big seth rich story?

 

 

 

[Snake]

3 hours ago, Snoslinger said:

 

All kind of facts for you to rebut.

No?

@Snoslinger

[Snake]

Just now, Snoslinger said:

and you an idiot, but what else is new.

say, where's the big seth rich story?

 

 

 

D e f l e c t I o n

[f7ben]

2 minutes ago, Snoslinger said:

and you an idiot, but what else is new.

say, where's the big seth rich story?

 

 

 

Here is Assange dropping another pile of truth on us....he also told us Seth was the leaker. I have no reason to doubt him 

[Snoslinger]

1 minute ago, Snake said:

All kind of facts for you to rebut.

No?

@Snoslinger

none of this is new news. sorry. uranium one has been debunked countless times already and I'm not about to do it again.

 

[Snoslinger]

4 minutes ago, f7ben said:

Here is Assange dropping another pile of truth on us....he also told us Seth was the leaker. I have no reason to doubt him 

assange

the same dipshit who just the other day passed on some BS information about somebody's twitter account being turned off for no reason. we all know what he's about...

[f7ben]

1 minute ago, Snoslinger said:

none of this is new news. sorry. uranium one has been debunked countless times already and I'm not about to do it again.

 

bullshit.....there are over 2000 new emails that would not be currently being released unless they were relevant.....these fucks are dirty 

[f7ben]

Just now, Snoslinger said:

assange

the same dipshit who just the other day passed on some BS information about somebody's twitter account being turned off for no reason. we all know what he's about...

yah...he's about exposing corruption and making you look like a complete fucking retard