Topic: Trump Dossier

Special Counsel John Durham released a 300-page report concluding that the FBI lacked sufficient evidence to launch the "Crossfire Hurricane" investigation into Donald Trump's 2016 campaign. The report highlights significant failures in the FISA warrant process and a reliance on uncorroborated intelligence, including the Clinton-funded Steele Dossier. Media outlets like NBC and MSNBC are criticized for downplaying the findings as a "nothing burger" despite the report's devastating critique of FBI bias.

Senate Bill 1247, known as the Duty to Report Act, was introduced following President Trump's comments to George Stephanopoulos about accepting foreign opposition research. Speaker Nancy Pelosi characterized the president's stance as a "criminal cover-up," while critics argue the bill would invite entrapment and overwhelm the FBI with spam. The irony of the bill is noted in relation to the Democrats' use of the Steele Dossier, which involved foreign intelligence.

The hosts revisit claims made by Joe diGenova regarding a plot by former CIA Director John Brennan to frame Donald Trump using the Steele Dossier. They reference comments by Bob Woodward suggesting that the investigation into Trump was politically motivated from the start.

President Donald Trump continues to criticize the late Senator John McCain, citing McCain's role in distributing the Steele Dossier and his deciding vote against the repeal of Obamacare. While Trump's attacks are criticized as "poor form" regarding the deceased, the discussion notes that McCain was the primary catalyst for the "Russia-gate" investigation. Meghan McCain's frequent media defenses of her father are also highlighted.

A bizarre story involving a Russian scammer allegedly offering to return stolen NSA hacking tools in exchange for $1 million has surfaced. Reports suggest the CIA paid $100,000 as an advance, but instead of tools, the individual provided unverified "dirt" on Donald Trump. Critics argue the story makes little sense as software tools can be infinitely copied, suggesting the entire operation may have been a cover for acquiring political opposition research.

Investigations continue into whether the Steele Dossier was used improperly to obtain FISA warrants for spying on the Trump campaign. The discussion highlights text messages between FBI agents Peter Strzok and Lisa Page as evidence of potential bias within the bureau.

Aleksej Gubarev, a Russian tech executive based in Texas, is suing BuzzFeed for slander after being named as a "scammer" and "spammer" in the Christopher Steele dossier. BuzzFeed has since redacted his name from the published document, but the lawsuit continues in Miami. The hosts also note a media "filter" where reporters seem to struggle with gendered language like "right-hand man."

President Donald Trump reportedly described the Russia investigation as a "cloud" and denied allegations involving a dossier compiled by a former British spy. The conversation shifts to historical presidential behavior, noting Lyndon B. Johnson's habit of conducting business while using the bathroom and Richard Nixon's extensive recording system.

Intelligence professionals discuss the difficulty of vetting the Trump dossier, noting that the Russian presidential administration is a notoriously hard target to penetrate. George Beebe suggests the dossier likely originated from the "Moscow rumor mill" rather than solid intelligence. British Prime Minister Theresa May confirmed that Christopher Steele had not worked for the UK government for many years.

Journalist Bob Woodward labels the Steele dossier a "garbage document" and argues the intelligence community should apologize to Donald Trump for including it in a briefing. The hosts discuss Woodward's status as a potential CIA-linked figure and what his defense of Trump signifies about internal shifts within the agency.