From the TPM* article in the update.

@Not Henry Kissinger The project began as an opposition research project funded by Republicans during the GOP primaries when, of course, there were Republicans with an interest in finding damaging information about Donald Trump. After Trump sealed the GOP nomination, Republicans had no desire or interest in funding this research. So Democrats agreed to start footing the bill.

Basically the dossier was compiled by an as of yet unnamed Republican primary candidate (cough...Jeb!...cough) who chose not to use it in the primary, so Hillary bought the phony report and ran with it Herself in the general.

How very bipartisan of them.

Be interesting to know who tipped Hillary off that the dossier actually existed in the first place.

*Josh Marshall is indeed hacktacular.

Prior to that agreement, Fusion GPS’s research into Trump was funded by a still unknown Republican client during the GOP primary.

Hire an old Brit spook to manufacture an international smear campaign while ginning up WWIII at the same time?

That sort of op has the Bushies written all over it.

@Not Henry Kissinger

Well, to the Clintons/DNC WaPo/Cia and the notorious '...according to the people familiar with the matter. ...' ad nauseam.

Prior to that agreement, Fusion GPS’s research into Trump was funded by a still unknown Republican client during the GOP primary.

Hire an old Brit spook to manufacture an international smear campaign while ginning up WWIII at the same time?

That sort of op has the Bushies written all over it.

@Not Henry Kissinger She is running in 2020 even if it's from her deathbed.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/made-by-history/wp/2017/10/24/hillar...

Clinton might not be a potential candidate now, but the political winds can change quickly. Recent American history is rife with presidential contenders who lost the primary or general election and then went on to become a candidate in subsequent elections. Dissatisfied with the politics of the day, lured by name recognition and preexisting loyalties, the public gave each of these candidates multiple chances at the presidency and handed several the keys to the White House.

Add to that Trump’s abysmally low approval ratings and inability to deliver on signature campaign promises (building a border wall, ending NAFTA and repealing the Affordable Care Act, to name a few), and Clinton could once more emerge as a serious challenger.

Political comebacks — even seemingly impossible ones — are actually regular occurrences in modern American politics. Richard Nixon remains the most (in)famous example. Nixon narrowly lost to John F. Kennedy in the 1960 election — only about 110,000 votes nationwide separated them — then ran for governor of California in 1962, only to lose that election. Nixon told the press after his defeat in 1962 that he was done with politics. “You don’t have Nixon to kick around anymore,” he proclaimed.

But when Lyndon Johnson trounced conservative Republican Barry Goldwater in 1964 (LBJ won all but six states), Nixon recast himself as the person best able to unite the factions within the GOP. Nixon’s chances were bolstered by a widespread opposition to the Vietnam War that fueled voters’ desire for a change in the White House. Nixon also courted Southern whites — who traditionally voted Democrat — dismayed over civil rights legislation and urban riots in the 1960s. Nixon ran for president again in 1968, capturing the Republican nomination and then the presidency.

The Gooper old guard and Trump may be scratching each other's eyes out on just about everything else, but one thing they can agree on is that Hillary's Russian pity party has gone on way too long and needs to stop.

I was wondering how long it would take them all to finally get fed up with Her antics. After the election, Trump was willing to let Her ride off into the sunset in spite of all of Her crimes. But she just won't quit.

@Steven D As Robert Parry and Glen Greenwald have pointed out. If one includes Pentagon budget increases in it along cyber security contracts, paying propagandists, etc, it a business/market segment measured in the billions.

by pushing the Russiagate CT. So do most of the "Big Progressive Sites" that are, of course, not progressive in the least.

@Steven D

Josh Marshall makes his living by pushing the Russiagate CT. So do most of the "Big Progressive Sites" that are, of course, not progressive in the least.

And which claim to ban the use of CT into the bargain!

by pushing the Russiagate CT. So do most of the "Big Progressive Sites" that are, of course, not progressive in the least.

@MrWebster Intentionally framing someone used to be a crime. Between this and the sloppy child molestation charges that Lisa Bloom was waving around, the DNC and the Clintons look like spiteful, criminal idiots. No one will support that sort of behavior, no matter how bad Trump is.

That's the real tragedy here, ultimately this short-sighted, selfish behavior actually helps Trump, and legitimizes him.

I responded to a post on TOP, which I have to stop with the following about the Steele thing:

"Amazing that some guy can walk into Putin’s Moscow and discover in a matter of days what surely must have been absolutely one of Putin’s most guarded state secrets. You know, Putin who kills journalists at the drop of the proverbial hat, and intelligence sources there blab as if there is no tomorrow with apparently no repercussions to them. And how do we know its true? Anonymous intelligence sources. Which begs the question, how come they didn’t know if they are confirming this or confirming that. These anonymous intelligence officials can’t figure out what one lone individual could?"

In other words, Steele heard enough rumors to patch together a fictional narrative to satisfy those paying him.