From Soros to Clinton: How the Russia collusion story was manufactured

Newly declassified Justice Department documents implicated left-wing donor George Soros in the FBI plot to spread Trump-Russia collusion allegations ahead of the 2016 election. Here’s what you need to know about the declassified Durham investigation documents:

The declassified revelations

DOJ documents expose Soros involvement in Trump-Russia allegations:

• Newly declassified Justice Department documents implicated George Soros in FBI plot
• Documents show plan to spread Trump-Russia collusion allegations ahead of 2016 election
• Emails hacked by Russians from Soros’ Open Society Foundation
• Employee Leonard Bernardo authored plans to spread collusion hoax

The publication strategy

Open Society Foundation planned media campaign:

• Plans laid out to spread collusion hoax to “leading U.S. publications”
• Strategy involved entities connected to the FBI
• Documents describe potential election influence by foreign government related to Hillary Clinton
• Emails implicate Clinton campaign in spreading false stories about Trump’s Russia ties

The Durham investigation annex

Revelations from now-declassified special counsel report:

• Information part of declassified annex to DOJ special counsel John Durham’s 2023 report
• Durham investigated origins of FBI probe into Trump-Russia conspiracy theory
• Theory alleged President Trump schemed with Moscow to rig 2016 election
• Annex declassified by top intelligence officials

The declassification process

Senate Republican chairman made documents public:

• Annex made public Thursday by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley
• Iowa Republican requested declassification from intelligence officials
• Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel participated in declassification
• CIA Director John Ratcliffe and DNI Tulsi Gabbard also involved

The FISA court deception

Report details false statements to surveillance court:

• Documents detail false statements FBI made to Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court
• False statements involved FISA renewal applications for Carter Page
• Page was former foreign-policy adviser to Trump during 2016 campaign
• FBI misled court about surveillance warrant justifications

The FBI’s investigative failures

Bureau failed to probe Clinton campaign intelligence:

• Report outlines FBI’s failure under Director James Comey’s leadership
• Bureau failed to investigate intelligence that Clinton campaign may have created Russia hoax
• FBI used bogus dossier compiled by British ex-spy Christopher Steele
• Steele dossier was paid for by Clinton campaign

Grassley’s transparency argument

Chairman emphasized public interest in disclosure:

• Grassley said “overriding public interest demands the release of this information”
• Release would “benefit public transparency and accountability”
• Declassification included information collected by CIA and National Security Agency
• Chairman requested declassification to expose government failures

The Obama administration intelligence

2016 memos described Democratic Party conversations:

• Obama administration in 2016 obtained intelligence recorded in January and March 2016 memos
• Two memos described “confidential conversations” between DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz
• Conversations involved two Open Society Foundation individuals: Leonard Benardo and Jeffrey Goldstein
• Intelligence came from recorded conversations between Democratic officials

The Clinton email investigation

January memo outlined Obama’s interference plans:

• January memo said Obama aimed to shut down FBI investigation into Clinton’s private email server
• Investigation involved Clinton’s mishandling of highly classified information as Secretary of State
• Email service scandal was dogging Clinton in presidential race
• Obama sought to end investigation affecting Clinton’s campaign

The Trump-Russia operation

March memo detailed plan to link Trump to Russia:

• March memo referenced same Obama effort to scuttle Clinton investigation
• Also outlined plan to link Trump to Russia
• Democratic Party “opposition focused on discrediting Trump”
• Clinton staff preparing “scandalous revelations of business relations between Trump and ’Russian Mafia’”

The “special services” reference

FBI analysts speculated about intelligence community involvement:

• March memo stated Clinton staff had “support from special services”
• FBI analysts speculated “special services” may have referred to FBI and CIA
• Could refer more broadly to U.S. intelligence and law enforcement communities
• Analysts also believed it could refer to Christopher Steele

Read more:

• New documents implicate George Soros, Hillary Clinton team in spreading Trump-Russia hoax