Buzzfeed published the Trump Russia dossier also known as the Steele dossier Jan. 10, 2017. It highlights President Donald Trump’s alleged ties to Russia.
Christopher Steele, a former MI6 agent, made the report, originally paid for by an un-named wealthy Republican donor. After President Trump’s inauguration, Hillary Clinton’s campaign paid for the dossier.
Perkins Coie, a law firm based in Washington, D.C, released a letter Oct. 24, that stated they were paid by the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to continue researching Trump’s alleged ties to Russia.
The dossier has attracted the interest of the F.B.I as well as Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who met with Steele during the summer to discuss the dossier as well as to provide information on sources and the report’s redacted sections.
The revelation that the Clinton campaign and the DNC paid for the report raises questions on its legitimacy. Nevertheless, it contains serious and specific accusations concerning Trump’s ties to Russia. The research firm Fusion GPS, in collaboration with the Clinton campaign, funded additional research to create the Steele dossier. President Obama and a member of the Trump family were briefed on the dossier, adding to its credibility.
Republicans in both houses of Congress have attempted to discredit the report with Trump calling it “fake news.” The DNC denied that it paid for Fusion GPS to conduct research. This revelation damages its credibility and supports the idea that the report is a partisan accusation against Trump if it has not been entirely verified. The FBI as well as the intelligence community have verified various sections of the 35-page document.
The British are America’s allies unlike the Russians, and Steele was retired during the creation of the dossier. The scenario raised questions about collusion with a foreign government. The dossier includes information obtained from members of Russian intelligence inside the Kremlin. Nevertheless, there is no evidence that the DNC collaborated with Russia to fund or research the report.
The truth behind the dossier may answer the question of the Trump campaign’s possible collusion with Russia to influence the U.S. election. U.S intelligence agencies will continue to investigate the matter, but the DNC’s actions with the dossier can be viewed as either necessary or chaotic depending on how the Trump-Russia investigation concludes.
