FBI informant Stefan Halper’s allegations called ‘false’ by MI5, Trump sticks with ‘Spygate’ attacks
The FBI informant who made contact with members of the Trump campaign has made allegations of Russian spy infiltration at the University of Cambridge, information called “false” and “absurd” by officials at MI5, the head of CIS. Meanwhile, President Trump keeps on the “spy” attacks, calling this “one of the biggest political scandals in history!”
Christopher Andrew, the official historian for MI5 and head of CIS, is refuting Stefan Halper accounts of interactions between Michael Flynn and a Russian academic at the 2014 Cambridge Intelligence Seminar (CIS).
Halper told the Financial Times that he was resigning from CIS because of “unacceptable Russian influence on the group.” Halper made contact with Trump campaign advisers Carter Page, George Papadpoulos and Sam Clovis during the campaign to gather intelligence about their involvement with Russia.
It was revealed Friday that Halper, a veteran of three Republican administrations, was a longtime CIA and FBI source who provided information that has been used in the FBI and special counsel’s investigation of possible collusion between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin.
As he’s done many times, Trump turned to Twitter:
SPYGATE could be one of the biggest political scandals in history!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 23, 2018
Trump said the embedded FBI agent “never reported collusion with Russia” and was “only there to spy for political reasons.” Trump also cited the “seemingly massive amount of money” that was paid to the spy.
Records show that FBI ‘informant’ Stefan Halper was paid $282,000 in 2016 and $129,280 in 2017 for spying on Trump.
No surprise that James Comey doesn’t care for the “spy” label, tweeting this:
Facts matter. The FBI’s use of Confidential Human Sources (the actual term) is tightly regulated and essential to protecting the country. Attacks on the FBI and lying about its work will do lasting damage to our country. How will Republicans explain this to their grandchildren? – James Comey (@Comey) May 23, 2018
Dangerous time when our country is led by those who will lie about anything, backed by those who will believe anything, based on information from media sources that will say anything. Americans must break out of that bubble and seek truth. – James Comey (@Comey) May 23, 2018
Trump counters:
Look how things have turned around on the Criminal Deep State. They go after Phony Collusion with Russia, a made up Scam, and end up getting caught in a major SPY scandal the likes of which this country may never have seen before! What goes around, comes around!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 23, 2018