Explosive Revelations: Declassified Docs Shred the Russia Hoax
Taibbi & Kirn Break It Down
Explosive Revelations: Declassified Docs Shred the Russia Hoax – Taibbi & Kirn Break It Down
By Jim Reynolds | www.reynolds.com
Declassified documents, frantic denials, unhinged media defenses, and a utterly debunked Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) dominated headlines this week. Matt Taibbi was ubiquitous—online, on TV, everywhere—unpacking the fallout. As a paid subscriber to his work, it’s only right to spotlight his “America This Week” podcast with Walter Kirn. While Taibbi favors expansive deep dives, we at Reynolds prioritize precision: maximum intel in minimal space. Despite stylistic differences, their take on this bombshell week is razor-sharp and essential. No fluff here—just a streamlined compression of the conversation’s core highlights. If this hooks you, subscribe to Taibbi’s Substack for the full experience.
That said, Reynolds hasn’t slacked either—we dropped three in-depth articles this week dissecting the freshly declassified docs, plus our daily Bob’s Hailstones. Our team’s been firing on all cylinders amid this non-stop news blitz. Dive in below for the podcast essence. Bob’s out on his boat fishing this weekend.
Gabbard’s Revenge: From “Russian Asset” Smear to DNI Truth-Teller
Hosts rewind to 2019: Tulsi Gabbard, viable Democratic contender, ambushed as a “Russian favorite” by Hillary Clinton on CBS, amplified by NBC’s hit piece citing Kremlin-linked bots. Tools like Hamilton 68 (phony bot tracker fronted by Clint Watts) and New Knowledge smeared her for anti-war stances, tanking her party career. Fast-forward: Gabbard joins Trump’s admin as DNI, declassifies docs exposing the lies. Kirn: “If ‘Disclosure’ were a stock, we’re at the rally’s start.” Taibbi: “Bulls are charging—this is comeuppance time.”
ICA Exposed: A Fabricated Hoax Built on Scraps
Gabbard’s release: 200+ pages from a 2017 House probe into the Jan. 2017 ICA, claiming Putin aided Trump. Vaulted at Langley for years, now public. Key finding: ICA’s “Putin preferred Trump” rested on four junk sources, ignoring counter-evidence.
Anonymous Email: Undated, no sender/recipient; discarded by CIA in Feb. 2016, possibly Ukrainian-origin proposal to insert pro-Russian in Trump’s camp—twisted as proof of Putin’s favoritism.
Vague Fragment: Human intel clause (“whose victory Putin was counting on”)—ambiguous, discarded earlier; five CIA drafters interpreted it differently. Meant “expecting,” not “backing.”
General Report: Russia likes Republicans for lax human rights views; “corroboration” mismatched—2014 liaison (pre-Trump), post-election cable quoting pundit (“Trump/Putin as businessmen”), signals intel omitting Trump.
Steele Dossier: Brennan insisted on inclusion despite team objections—it failed “trade craft standards.” Brennan: “Doesn’t it ring true?” Dossier already discredited; FBI knew source was fired.
Brennan handpicked five CIA analysts (not interagency); they protested weak evidence, suppressed Putin’s confidante quote (“didn’t care who won, Russia could outmaneuver either”). Obama ordered rushed ICA Dec. 2016; some sources hidden from him. Result: Manufactured narrative sparked media frenzy (Maddow’s “bursting” excitement), Mueller probe, years-long “coup.” Taibbi: “Worse than WMD—complete invention.” Kirn: “Extraordinary claims, zero evidence.”
Intel Incompetence: Billions Spent, Bupkis Delivered
Duo stunned by CIA’s thin penetration into Putin—fragments, no solid spies. Suppressed gold: Putin neutral. Kirn: “Is our intel a charade? Vaults full of nothing?” Taibbi: “Bluff-orama—facade of omniscience, reality of incompetence.” Clapper clip: Fears prosecution, claims ICA “scrutinized” (false—key docs locked away). Parallels Clapper’s Iraq WMD admission: “Found what wasn’t there.”
The Hateful Eight: Unopened Russian Thumb Drives Fuel Cover-Up
Bombshell: Russians exfiltrated U.S. data (Exec Office, State Dept, Congress, NGOs like Atlantic Council/Open Society). FBI got eight thumb drives via “T1” source in 2016—unreviewed due to “privilege” (executive/congressional). Contents teased:
Clinton health: “Extraordinarily alarming”—anger fits, cheerfulness, tranquilizers, power obsession.
Emails: Clinton-approved plan linking Trump to Russian hackers to deflect email scandal; State funds to religious groups for support; Lynch influencing Comey.
Obama blocked ICA access; no counterintel review (Horowitz 2018: FBI just requesting permission). Hosts speculate: Cache drove post-election frenzy—bipartisan scandals, media leaks. Kirn: “Pandora’s box—motivated the whole cover-up.” Taibbi: “Open it! Like Epstein files, but bigger.” Why ignored? Fear of exposure. “Banquet must go on” amid humiliation.
Broader Fallout: Media Smears, Literary Parallels
Gabbard presser: “Treasonous conspiracy”—leaves charges to DOJ. Media inserts: Senate/DOJ probes found “no interference” (debunked by docs). Hosts: ICA split America, smeared truth-seekers as “Russian agents.” Parallels to McCarthyism, “Manchurian Candidate.” Final segment: Waugh’s Scoop—journalistic herd mentality, fabricated wars. Waugh’s satire mirrors hoax: Stiff-upper-lip frauds humiliated but persisting. Taibbi: “Lie offends like an itchy sweater.” Kirn: “Pride of England: Acting sober when drunk.”
This week’s unmasking? A seismic shift in trust—intel, media, politics. Gabbard: Formidable, controlled, hated in DC salons. Taibbi/Kirn: Revivified by truth’s rally. Dive deeper on Racket News.