7 chapters across the catalog
Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern and NSA whistleblowers Bill Binney and Ed Loomis argue that the 2016 DNC email leak was a local download rather than a remote hack. Forensics allegedly show the data transfer speed exceeded the capacity of the internet at the time, suggesting the use of a physical USB drive. McGovern warns that maintaining the narrative of a Russian cyber attack could be used to justify a nuclear response under new military posture statements.
A report by Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS) claims that the 2016 DNC data breach was a local leak rather than a remote hack. Forensics on the file transfer speeds—averaging 22.7 megabytes per second—suggest the data was downloaded to a physical storage device within the Eastern Time Zone. The findings challenge the official narrative that Russian hackers or "Guccifer 2.0" were responsible for the theft.
Thomas Rid Testimony on Guccifer 2.0 and Russian Intelligence
Professor Thomas Rid of King's College London testifies that Guccifer 2.0 is an agent of the Russian government rather than a lone Romanian hacker. Rid cites forensic links and communication patterns as evidence that the persona was managed by a team within an intelligence organization.
Romanian hacker Guccifer 2.0 was sentenced to 52 months in prison for unauthorized access to protected computers, including the DNC network. Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin told Bloomberg that Russia had no involvement in the hacks, arguing that the content of the leaked emails is more important than the identity of the hackers.
Reports suggest the hacker known as Guccifer has gone missing from a US jail, leading to speculation about his extraction. Meanwhile, Guccifer 2.0 continues to post hacked DNC documents on a WordPress blog, which the hosts encourage listeners to download before the site is taken down.
Rachel Maddow reported on the "Guccifer 2.0" hack of the DNC, which leaked an opposition research file on Donald Trump. Maddow used the leak to suggest a "unsettling" connection between Trump and Vladimir Putin. The hosts mock the "lame" intelligence in the file, which included old allegations regarding Trump's personal life and his ex-wife.
The hacker known as Guccifer releases personal emails belonging to former Secretary of State Colin Powell, revealing a long-term relationship with a Romanian woman. The hosts argue the hack is a form of "messaging" to public figures that no one's private communications are safe from exposure.
