Igor Danchenko, a Russian analyst who collaborated with Christopher Steele, the former British intelligence agent who wrote a dossier on alleged links between Donald Trump and Russia, was arrested on suspicion of providing false information to the FBI when was questioned about his work. Danchenko is the third person, and the second in two months, to be charged in Special Adviser John Durham’s investigation into the origins of the Russian file.
The Steele Dossier was financed by the US Democratic Party. Durham was appointed by the then Trump administration to investigate possible negligence in the previous investigation into alleged links between the former president and Russia. The indiscretion of the New York Times regarding Danchenko’s arrest has not yet been officially confirmed. Durham’s Special Attorney’s Office declined to comment.
US, Trump grants pardon to Papadopoulos, the man who brought Russiagate to Italy
Some of the allegations contained in the Steele Dossier were used by the FBI in support of the request for wiretapping against one of Trump’s presidential campaign advisors in October 2016. Other allegations contained in the dossier, in particular of a sexual nature against the former president, were instead leaked to the press, sparking a media and political storm in January 2017, coinciding with the inauguration of the new president.
Russiagate, Trump’s grace reopens the Roman mysteries
by Gianluca Di Feo
Trump has always argued that the investigation into his campaign ties with Russia was a witch hunt and that the Steele dossier was evidence of a corrupt Democrat-led operation.
But the dossier played no role in the launch of the Trump-Russia investigation. Special Adviser Robert Mueller charged with carrying out the investigation at the end of his work found questionable links between the Trump campaign and Russia, but not enough evidence to pursue criminal charges. Democrats have harshly criticized the Durham investigation as politically motivated, but the Biden administration hasn’t stopped it.
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