Report: Russia Hoax a Global Intelligence Effort

The scoop: The Obama administration allegedly partnered with five countries to target former President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign by planting evidence of Russian collusion, according to a report from Public and Racket.

• Catch up: A lengthy investigation by the FBI and the Department of Justice (DOJ) which concluded in 2019 found no evidence of Trump-Russia collusion. Special Counsel John Durham determined that the probe was politically motivated and should never have happened.

What’s new: Months before the 2016 probe became official, the U.S. intelligence community was already tracking 26 Trump associates, according to “sources close to” a House investigation.

• International effort: The U.S. reportedly worked with spy agencies from Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Israel to frame the Trump campaign, sometimes meeting with Trump's allies.

• Exposing the lies: One incident used to justify the DOJ’s probe was a conversation between a Trump adviser and a Maltese professor — supposedly tied to Russia — who told the Trump campaign that Russia had dirt on Hillary Clinton. It has since been alleged that the professor was a British spy.

Why it matters: The journalists’ sources claim that the CIA has secret documents proving their allegations. If true, this intimates “that multiple U.S. intelligence officials broke laws against spying and election interference.” Whether the documents become public may depend on who wins the presidency in November.

• Zoom out: The fact that the FBI broke the law when it wiretapped Trump campaign adviser Carter Page in the Russia probe lends credence to claims of further unlawful conduct.