“DNC hacker” Guccifer 2.0 unmasked: The hacker who claimed to compromise the DNC swore he was Romanian, but new research shows he worked directly for the Vladimir Putin government in Moscow. The DNC hack is Watergate, but worse: The email dump isn’t a high-minded act of transparency — it’s a foreign power attempting to swing an election for its favored candidate. Steve Benen on a Watergate comparison that finally makes sense. Why did Trump dodge the Russia question? It is not business with Russia per se but the totality of circumstances surrounding Trump's relationship with Russia that is at issue. These new developments underscore the importance of an old, familiar point: Now, more than ever, Donald Trump must release his tax returns.
Is Trump a Russian stooge? The Donald and Vlad might not be holding hands, but they’re clearly friends with benefits. The most minimal version of the story is actually a very, very big deal and in some ways the more high-octane and outlandish aspects of it are obscuring that. Why would Russia interfere in the U.S. election? Because it sometimes works — and America is no stranger to the tactic. Why Putin hates Hillary: Behind the allegations of a Russian hack of the DNC is the Kremlin leader's fury at Clinton for challenging the fairness of Russian elections. Assange, avowed foe of Clinton, timed email release for Democratic convention.
