FBI Dir. Chris Wray: Russia Medeling in US Election to ‘denigrate Vice President Biden’

allnurses Guide · Sep 17, 2020

Wray says Russia engaged in 'very active efforts' to interfere in election, damage Biden

The FBI director also broke with Trump’s claim that antifa is a terrorist organization.

Wray said Russians have been using social media, as well as “proxies, state media, online journals" and other vehicles to hurt Biden and what it views as anti-Russian factions in U.S. politics. Wray’s assessment affirms the findings of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which last month described Russia’s efforts to damage Biden and specifically identified Andriy Derkach, a pro-Russian Ukrainian lawmaker who has met with President Donald Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani, as an agent of Russia’s influence operations...

... Wray said antifa is “more of an ideology or a movement than an organization” and though there has been violence by some who self-identify as antifa, it has not appeared to be part of a central organization. “Antifa is a real thing,” Wray said. “But it’s not an organization or a structure.”

Under questioning from Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Wray indicated that white supremacist violence is the largest portion of what he described as the most significant domestic terrorism threat in the country: “racially motivated violent extremism.” Though racially motivated violence is a broader term that encompasses multiple ideologies, he said “people ascribing to some white supremacy type of ideology is certainly the largest chunk of that.”...

... Wray also characterized Qanon as “a sort of complex set of conspiracy theories” that has, at times, inspired violent acts. Believers, some of whom have won congressional primary elections, have embraced outlandish, baseless claims — some rooted in antisemitic tropes — about a secret cabal of Satan worshipping government leaders running an international child sex ring. It's adherents have characterized Trump as a hero fighting to put a stop to it.

Wray said the FBI doesn’t investigate any particular set of beliefs but would pursue any violence that might stem from it. “I don’t think we’ve seen lethal attacks involving that kind of motivation,” he added....

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/17/fbi-director-russia-election-meddling-416839

allnurses Guide · Sep 18, 2020

Let's see if Director Wray backs down or "walks back" his remarks as Trump predictably issued a Twitter admonishment.

But Chris, you don’t see any activity from China, even though it is a FAR greater threat than Russia, Russia, Russia. They will both, plus others, be able to interfere in our 2020 Election with our totally vulnerable Unsolicited (Counterfeit?) Ballot Scam. Check it out!

Really a repulsive spectacle when heads of CDC, DHS, FDA etc are publicly humiliated by a malignant narcissist for offering a learned or expert opinion.

toomuchbaloney · Sep 19, 2020

That's what despots do.

Brace for what comes next since we, as a nation, seem intent to let him have his way.