The Media Research Center’s Nicholas Fondacaro writes in a July 24 post:
With what seemed like the plot of the next James Bond film, or perhaps Austin Powers, CNN Political Commentator Sally Kohn accused Russian hackers of trying to sink Hillary Clinton’s campaign by leaking DNC documents. “One of the more unexplored parts of this story is that these leaks were done by Russian hackers,” Kohn noted on New Day Sunday, “And the fact that these leaks, if anything, help— seem intended maybe to help Donald Trump. So, I think first of all, we should point that out.”
Kohn relied on an argument made by Clinton’s pick for vice president, “And looking at the connections between Trump and Russia and Putin, you know, as Tim Kaine pointing out, Putin being the only person Donald Trump hasn’t criticized.”
Fondacaro didn’t concede that Kohn is correct about there being significant enough ties between Trump and Russia that there is at least a circumstantial case that the Russians hacked the DNC documents and scheduled them for release just before the Democratic convention for Trump’s benefit. Among those ties:
- The Washington Post reported that some cybersecurity experts agree that hackers working for or on behalf of the Russian government did conduct the DNC hack.
- Trump has taken the position — also favored by the Russians — that a President Trump might not protect the (former Soviet) Baltic states that are members of NATO from Russian threats.
- Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin have a mutual admiration society going.
- Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort used to be a lobbyist for and adviser to the pro-Putin former Ukranian leader Viktor Yanukovych.
That would all seem to be important information that lends credence to Kohn’s claim. But it seems Fondacaro would rather pretend Kohn is a conspiracy theorist.