Dissecting the MEMO: Carter Page “U.S Citizen?” or “Russia Stooge?”

The MEMO talks about Carter Page the subject of a FISA warrant. According to the MEMO: “Page is a U.S. citizen who served as a volunteer advisor to the Trump presidential campaign.” A better description would be “a Russian stooge who worked to undermine U.S. citizens.”

What is it that we know about Page? Is it because he was a volunteer advisor to the Trump campaign that he was the subject of the warrant. One would think so reading the memo. Or is it because his contacts with Russia were such that not investigating him by the FBI would be a dereliction of duty. I suggest the latter is the case. Here is a background on the Russian Stooge the FBI went after.

Page is no stranger to Russia. He worked as an investment banker there for three years in the 2000s.

In 2013 Page met with and passed documents to a Russian intelligence operative in New York City in 2013. The Russian intelligence operative named Victor Podobny was later charged by the US government alongside two others for acting as unregistered agents of a foreign government. The charges, filed in January 2015, came after federal investigators busted a Russian spy ring that was seeking information on US sanctions as well as efforts to develop alternative energy. Page is an energy consultant.

Also in 2013 he wrote: “Over the past half year, I have had the privilege to serve as an informal advisor to the staff of the Kremlin in preparation for their Presidency of the G-20 Summit next month, . . . ”

On March 21, 2016, Trump announced his foreign policy team:  “Trump’s team of foreign policy advisers, led by Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, consists of counter-terrorism expert Walid Phares, energy consultant George Papadopoulos, former Defense Department inspector general Joe Schmitz, managing partner of Global Energy Capital Carter Page and former Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg. Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks confirmed the names to CNN.” (emphasis added) 

Doesn’t it appear strange the foreign policy team to Trump has a guy who few heard of?  A guy who claims he is an advisor to the Kremlin? A guy who has been in Moscow speaking against America. But it gets worse.

In July 2016 Carter Page took a trip to Russia and met with Russian officials. Prior to this being disclosed Page had constantly denied meeting with any such officials. He made a speech in Russia during this visit “that criticized the United States and other Western nations for a “hypocritical focus on ideas such as democratization, inequality, corruption and regime change” in Russia and in other parts of the former Soviet Union.”

Page sent an email to “the campaign that said “in a private conversation, [Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady] Dvorkovich expressed strong support for Mr. Trump and a desire to work together.””

In mid-August we learn that Kellyanne Conway has taken the place of Paul Manafort. She becomes the Trump campaign manager.

In September, Kellyanne Conway, Mr. Trump’s campaign manager, said that Carter Page was not part of the Trump team. “I have not spoken with him at all, in fact, meaning he’s not part of our national security or foreign policy briefings that we do now at all, certainly not since I have become campaign manager.””

It appears that Carter Page’s association with the campaign began as early as March 2016. Coincidentally another Putin crony Paul Manaford joined the Trump team during the same month. Page’s official association probably ended prior to mid-August 2016 around the same time as Manafort’s. I’d suggest it is fair to say it lasted for no more than five months.

In October, according to the MEMO, FBI FISA surveillance on Carter Page was authorized.

On December 8, 2016 it was reported that Page was back in Russia. The article noted he: “was close lipped about the purpose of his visit, telling RIA Novosti, a Russian state-run news agency, that he would stay in Moscow until Tuesday and would meet with “business leaders and thought leaders.””

The MEMO states: “a FISA order on an American citizen must be renewed by the FISC every 90 days and each renewal requires a separate finding of probable cause.”

Ninety days after October 21 would have been in January 2017. Between the first issuance and then we know from public records that Page was back in Moscow.

Those are things we know about Page as reported in the public media. Obviously he had deep connections in Russia. He lied about his connections until finally confronted with a memo at a congressional hearing when he admitted that he had been meeting with Russian officials.

We know that at the time of the first FISA warrant against Page that he no longer worked with the Trump campaign. We also know from the MEMO that an FBI counterintelligence investigation against George Papadopoulos was opened in late July 2016.  News sources suggested that happened upon the news that Papadopoulos had bragged that Russians had information on Hillary Clinton’s emails.

Now what I’m writing about is what is known publicly. I’m sure the information in any application or affidavit is much more complete and extensive than what we know. If what is known publicly is almost sufficient for the probable cause belief that Carter Page was involved in some skullduggery with Russia I suggest it would take very little more, which I am sure the FBI had, to secure a FISA warrant.

Any issue about the FISA warrants not being based on probable cause is clearly made up of whole cloth. Carter Page was no American citizen picked out of the blued because of his Trump relationship. He was on all appearances a Russian stooge with past connections with a Russian spy ring. It would be wrong not to target him to determine the extent of his dealings.

15 Comments

  1. Soooo – Carter Page is a “rooshan stooge”. I’ve seen his interviews on TV. He has PhD’s, just like Nellie Ohr, and Nellie Ohr specialized in Rooshan studies.

    So, again, why was it necessary to get a FISA warrant on him?

    And how does the fake and fraudulent Fusion GPS “golden shower” dossier fit in to getting a warrant on Carter Page?

  2. Were Rachmaninoff and Skee foreign agents using BSO as a Front? Is Trump going to line his proposed parade route with 30’x50′ portraits of his glorious self to Compete with Rocket Man? (I would prefer an x-ray of his bone spurs as he leads this parade.) Maybe the VA chief can frame a copy of his budget proposal that highlighted a 50% cut in disability benefits for wounded vets to pay for his tax cuts.

  3. Wa-llahi! Seems like Glorious Leader’s supporters are getting shrill, must mean they’re worried. Short of a military take-over, I don’t think Trump, and, his minions, can avoid prison. Mueller has them all in a bag. The next move by Trump, and, the fascist wing of the Republican Party, will be to avoid, or, negate, the results of the on-coming mid-term elections. I’m figuring that if they feel threatened enough, there won’t be another election. They’ll put troops in the streets, instead. Attention, right-wing patriotic circle jerkers, that’s what’s coming.

  4. John King McDonald

    The Pope wants his hat back .

  5. “The truth, the WHOLE truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God.” Even wee bairns know this standard. The Nunes Memo does not accuse high government officials of not telling some truths. It does not demonstrate that untruths were told. It clearly outlines that the WHOLE truth was not told. Evidence was consciously withheld by senior Obama appointed and Clinton supporting individuals with the express intent of affecting the election. That is a crime.

  6. Here’s what Harry Truman says and Brian Merrick already said it in a nutshell:

    May 12, 1945
    “The Courts should be strictly judicial and not dabble in policy-except interpretation of the Constitution.
    It is not at all proper for courts to try to make laws or to read law school theories into the law and policy laid down by the Congress.
    We want no Gestapo or Secret Police. F.B.I. is tending in that direction. They are dabbling in sex life scandles [sic] and plain blackmail when they should be catching criminals. They also have a habit of sneering at local law enforcement officers.
    This must stop. Cooperation is what we must have. HST
    School system needs overhauling. Kids should learn more fundamental “reading writing and arithmatick [sic]”. Freud psychology and “nut doctors” should be eliminated.
    I should like to see the Constitution amended to do away with all two thirds rules. This means treaty ratification and Presidential Vetoes. These two matters should be accomplished by requiring a majority of both House and Senate – an actual majority of the membership not a majority of those present. Every Legislator should be required to express his opinion by vote HST
    on these two most important legislative responsibilities. They should never be accomplished by unanimous consent. Impeachment should be made simpler and an impeachment court should be set up or the Supreme Court should conduct the trial. The result to be ratified by a majority of Senate and House–same sort of a majority as before stated.” HST

  7. This is nonsense. Carter Page publicly did a lot of business in post-Communist Russia at a time when it was permitted, even encouraged, by our government. A lot of italics and bold print don’t make something nefarious. Bill Clinton got more for making a speech in Russia than Carter Page. This is like a bad remake of the 50’s with the Democrats recast as the McCarthyites.

  8. Why did McCabe say they would not have gotten the FISA warrant on Page without the fake Russian dossier? They obviously lacked sufficient information to get the warrant so your claim is refuted. Why put the dossier and the Isikoff report in the affidavit if they already had enough? Your boys were caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Guilty. 2. Page is in the Trump campaign for a few months. Podesta is Hillary’s campaign chairman throughout, up to election day. The Podestas are paid thirty million by the Russians. Hillary gets $140 million and Bill a half a million from the Russians yet no FISA warrants on the dishonest Democrats. Didn’t Tip O’Neil say follow the money. Just a coincidence that the party in power is spying on their opposition using all the power of the National Security State. 3. Under Obama the CIA using a warrantless wiretap spied on Sen. Finestein and her staff at the Senate Intelligence Committee. The FBI, DOJ and CIA routinely violated the Constitution and Bill of Rights under the prior administration. The aftermath of the Boston Marathon showed we had an unaccountable Secret Police. This proves beyond all doubt we had a lawless unaccountable Secret Police. Drain the swamp.

  9. We should investigate the Boston Pops for playing Tchaikovsky on the Esplanade on July 4th, and those who continue to play him at Christmas for the Nutcracker Ballet . . . and di you know the BSO fequently plays Rachmaninoff, especially his second piano concerto.

    Let’s get FISA warrants against all US Citizens with tourist, business, family et al contacts with Russians, White Russians, Little Russians and who use Russian orbiting satellites for any purposes . . .

    And what could be more incriminating than handing “documents” to a Russian while in Moscow . . .were these postcards, invitations to dinner, business brochures, ads, proposals, literature, comic book excerpts . . .or other highly suspicious “DOCUMENTS”

    EXCHANGING DOCUMENTS WITH ANY RUSSSIANS, WHITE RUSSIANS 9BYELORUS, LITTLE RUSSIANS (UKRAINIANS) CHECKNYANS or Check Republicans from Prague should raise immediate suspicions especially if your last name is COHEN and you’ve never been to Prague but someone by that name has

    FISA WARRANTS AGAINST ALL SUSPICIOUS AMERICAN CITIZENS DABBLING IN FOREIGN BUSINESS OR FOREIGN TOURISM . . .THAT’S THE ANSWER

    SIC HEIL OR SIG HEIL OR SOMETHING. LET’S ALL MARCH IN LOCKSTEP WITH THE M.A.F.I.A.’ s DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGNS

    GRUEL FOR THE GULLIBLE SYCOPHANTS OF THE LEFTISTS MAFIA

  10. Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton and the Podestas had deeper ties with Russians . . ..and got BIG BUCKS $$$$ from Russkies . . .I guess we shoulda got FISA warrants against them, too. ?????

    • Why is it that every time a Trump negative comes up, Hillary and Slick Willy are brought up, rather than address the matter at hand? Do you assume that all who oppose Trump’s lackey’s indiscretions (or felonies) support illegal behavior by others? Or are Generalissimo Trump’s associates untouchable and criticisms are “treasonous”.

  11. Was Carter Page working for the FBI? Court records indicate he was an FBI UCE – Under Cover Employee.

    https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2018/02/05/in-march-2016-carter-page-was-an-fbi-employee-in-october-2016-fbi-told-fisa-court-hes-a-spy/