The New York Times Has A Different Take On How The Russia Probe Began

Papadopoulos, second from left. Photo: realdonaldtrump/Instagram

New York Times: How the Russia Inquiry Began: A Campaign Aide, Drinks and Talk of Political Dirt

WASHINGTON — During a night of heavy drinking at an upscale London bar in May 2016, George Papadopoulos, a young foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign, made a startling revelation to Australia’s top diplomat in Britain: Russia had political dirt on Hillary Clinton.

About three weeks earlier, Mr. Papadopoulos had been told that Moscow had thousands of emails that would embarrass Mrs. Clinton, apparently stolen in an effort to try to damage her campaign.

Exactly how much Mr. Papadopoulos said that night at the Kensington Wine Rooms with the Australian, Alexander Downer, is unclear. But two months later, when leaked Democratic emails began appearing online, Australian officials passed the information about Mr. Papadopoulos to their American counterparts, according to four current and former American and foreign officials with direct knowledge of the Australians’ role.

The hacking and the revelation that a member of the Trump campaign may have had inside information about it were driving factors that led the F.B.I. to open an investigation in July 2016 into Russia’s attempts to disrupt the election and whether any of President Trump’s associates conspired.

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WNU Editor: According to the New York Times .... a young foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign (George Papadopoulos) gets drunk with a top Australian diplomat in London and tells this diplomat that the Russians had political dirt on Hillary Clinton. This Australian diplomat then tells his superiors, who in turn tell U.S. officials thereby prompting this FBI investigation. The problem with this New York Times story is that they are reporting that this meeting occurred in May 2016, but everyone already knew a month before that Hillary Clinton's personal server was compromised, and that her information was probably stolen .... Source: No 'coincidence' Romanian hacker Guccifer extradited amid Clinton probe (FOX News). George Papadopoulos was telling this diplomat nothing new .... he was only saying what many were already saying at the time that Hillary Clinton's emails may have been stolen. Byron York has also noticed another problem with this New Your Time's Story ....

2) When did officials brief Congress about Papadopoulos? They briefed Congress about Carter Page in late summer 2016. 3/4

— Byron York (@ByronYork) December 30, 2017

More News On The The New York Times Report On How The Russia Probe Began

We now know the tipping point that prompted the FBI to launch its Trump-Russia investigation -- Business Insider
FBI's Donald Trump Russia probe was 'sparked by drink in London wine bar' -- The Telegraph
Australian diplomat's tip led to Trump Russia probe: US paper -- DW
Australian diplomat's tip a factor in FBI's Russia probe -- FOX News
George Papadopoulos’ drunken boasts of Hillary Clinton dirt from Russians prompted FBI probe -- New York Daily News