I GET A LITTLE JEALOUS. I DO.
ALL RIGHT. THE LAST CZAR OF RUSSIA CAME TO
POWER 1894. HE WAS FORCED TO ABDICATE THE
THRONE ABOUT TWO DECADES LATER, THE BOLSHEVIK REVOLUTION.
1917, THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION. WE'RE NOW A CENTURY ON FROM
THAT. BUT AS IT HAPPENED, IN 1917, THE
CZAR AND HIS FAMILY WERE SCARED OFF THE THRONE THAT YEAR.
BUT THEN THE REVOLUTIONARIES DIDN'T KILL THEM RIGHT AWAY.
THEY KEPT THEM ALIVE FOR A WHILE.
THEY KEPT THEM FIRST IN ONE OF THE RUSSIAN ROYAL PALACES JUST
SOUTH OF ST. PETERSBURG. EVENTUALLY THEY MOVED THE CZAR
AND HIS FAMILY TO ANOTHER ROYAL RESIDENCE IN YAKATARINBURG, NOW
THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN RUSSIA.
IN THE SUMMER OF 1918, THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTIONARIES,
FIGHTERS HOLDING THE CZAR AND HIS FAMILY IN THIS RESIDENCE,
THEY WERE WORRIED THAT THE COUNTERREVOLUTIONARIES, THAT THE
LOYALISTS OF THE CZAR'S FAMILIARLY WERE CLOSING IN ON
YAKATARINBURG. THEY WERE WORRIED THE CZAR AND
HIS FAMILY MAY SOMEHOW BE RESCUED BY THOSE
COUNTERREVOLUTIONARY FORCES. THEY WERE WORRIED THE REVOLUTION
WOULD BE OVER, THE MONARCHY WOULD BE RESTOERD AND THE PEOPLE
HOLDING THE CZAR AND HIS FAMILY KIND OF FREAKED OUT.
THEY HELD A SECRET MEETING AND APPARENTLY TOOK A VOTE AND
DECIDED TO IMPOSE WHAT AMOUNTED TO AN EXTRAJUDICIAL DEATH
SENTENCE ON THE CZAR, BUT ALSO ON HIS ENTIRE FAMILY.
ON THE NIGHT OF JULY 16th, 1918, THEY PUT THE CZAR AND HIS WIFE
AND THEIR KIDS AND EVEN THEIR SERVANTS, PUT THEM ALL IN THE
BASEMENT OF THE HOUSE WHERE THEY'D BEEN HOLDING THEM, AND
THEY SHOT ALL OF THEM. THEY KILLED THE WHOLE ROYAL
FAMILY AND THE SERVANTS WHO WORKED FOR THEM.
OF DHOIRKS SOVIET UNION IS WHAT ROSE FROM THE 1917 REVOLUTION
BUT THE CZAR AND THE RUSSIAN MONARCHY STILL HAD ITS FANS,
EVEN IN SOVIET DAYS. AND IT WAS A CONSTANT SOURCE OF
WORRYING AND EVEN DISTRESS FOR THE SOVIET UNION, FOR THE
COMMUNIST PARTY DURING SOVIET DAYS THAT THE SITE WAS A
CONSTANT SOURCE OF WORRY FOR THE COMMUNIST PARTY THAT THAT SITE
IN THAT RUSSIAN CITY HAD BECOME A PLACE OF REVERENCE.
IT WASN'T FORMALLY A MEMORIAL OF ANY KIND BUT IT BECAME A
PILGRIMAGE SITE WHERE PEOPLE WOULD COME TO REMEMBER WHAT
HAPPENED TO LAMENT WHAT HAPPENED.
AS THE SOVIET UNION AND COMMUNIST PARTY GOT ANNOYED BY
AND WORRIED ABOUT THAT, LOCAL OFFICIALS IN AND AROUND
YAKATARINBURG CAME UNDER PRESSURE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT
IT. HE WAS RELUCTANT TO DO IT AND
DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO DO IT, BUT IN 1977, A LOCAL LEADER IN
YEKATERINBURG, A LOCAL LEADER NAMED BORIS YELTSIN DID WHAT THE
PARTY IN MOSCOW TOLD HIM TO DO. HE BULLDOZED THE HOUSE.
HE BULLDOZED THATS NOW YEKATERINBURG WHERE THE CZAR AND
HIS FAMILY AND SERVANTS WERE MACHINE GUNNED IN THE BASEMENT.
THEY RIPPED IT ALL DOWN. DESTROYED IT AS A SITE.
BORIS YELTSIN WOULD LATER GO ON TO BECOME THE FIRST POST-SOVIET
LEADER OF THE NEW RUSSIA AFTER THE COLLAPSE OF THE SOVIET
UNION. AND HE HAD LONG SAID THAT HE
REGRETTED THAT DECISION BACK IN YEKATERINBURG.
IT WEIGHED ON HIM OVER THE YEARS.
HE REGRETTED IT. ONCE HE BECAME PRESIDENT OF
RUSSIA, HE RECTIFIED THAT DECISION.
YOU CAN'T UNBULLDOZE ANYTHING. YOU CAN'T REBUILD WHAT HAS BEEN
DESTROYED. YOU CAN'T RE-CREATE HISTORY.
BUT IN 1998, BORIS YELTSIN, THEN AS PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA, G GAVE
CZAR NICHOLAS II AND HIS FAMILY A FUNERAL.
GAVE THEM A PROPER RELIGIOUS FUNERAL.
AND THEN WITHIN A COUPLE YEARS, THEY STARTED CONSTRUCTION ON A
FAIRLY GRAND CHURCH ON SITE WHERE THE FAMILY HAD BEEN
MURDERED, WHERE YELTSIN HAD PREVIOUSLY ORDERED THE HOUSE TO
BE DESTROYED. THIS STARTED THE WORK ON THAT
CHURCH IN 2000. IT WAS COMPLETED BY 2003.
EVEN TODAY IF YOU GOOGLE PICTURES OF YEKATERINBURG, WHAT
POPS UP ARE PICTURES OF THAT CHURCH.
IT'S VERY GRAND. IT'S COVERED IN GOLD DOMES,
GIANT ORTHODOX CROSSES. AND BECAUSE IT'S RUSSIA, IT HAS
A FITTINGLY DRAMATIC RUSSIAN NAME.
IT'S CALLED THE CATHEDRAL ON THE BLOOD.
SO YEKATERINBURG IS AN INTERESTING PLACE.
THE BIGGEST DRAW IS THE CATHEDRAL ON THE BLOOD.
THAT SUPER DRAMATIC HISTORY. THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN
RUSSIA AFTER MOSCOW AND ST. PETERSBURG AND NOVOSBURSK.
IT'S TECHNICALLY IN SIBERIA, ALTHOUGH THEY DON'T LIKE YOU TO
SAY THAT. THEY DON'T WANT TO SOUND THAT
REMOTE. DON'T SAY SIBERIA.
FOR AMERICANS RIGHT NOW, YEKATERINBURG HAS TURNED OUT TO
BE OF INTEREST BECAUSE IT'S HOME TO THE MAN WHO CLAIMS TO BE THE
REPRESENTATIVE OF THEREPUBLIC OF CALIFORNIA TO RUSSIA.
THERE IS NO REPUBLIC OF CALIFORNIA.
THERE'S A STATE OF CALIFORNIA. IT'S PART OF A LARGER COUNTRY
YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD OF CALLED THE UNITED STATES.
BUT RUSSIA HAS A LITTLE GLEAM IN ITS EYE THAT IF THEY PLAY THEIR
CARDS RIGHT, MAYBE SOME DAY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA MIGHT
BE SLIGHTLY LESS UNITED AND SPECIFICALLY, IT MIGHT LOOK MORE
LIKE THIS. RUSSIA HAS A LITTLE GLEAM IN ITS
EYE ABOUT THE IDEA THAT THE UNITED STATES MIGHT SOMEHOW HIVE
ITSELF OFF FROM A STATE THAT REPRESENTS THE SIXTH LARGEST
ECONOMY IN THE WORLD. VLADIMIR PUTIN IS THE FOUNDING
PATRON OF THE GENERIC SOUNDING GROUP CALLED THE NATIONAL
CHARITY FOUNDATION IN RUSSIA. PUTIN'S NATIONAL CHARITY
FOUNDATION FUNDS THE ANTI-GLOBALIST MOVEMENT OF
RUSSIA. AND SOME OF THE THINGS THE
ANTI-GLOBALIST MOVEMENT OF RUSSIA DOES FLASH LIKE RED
BEACON DANGER, DANGER FROM AN AMERICAN PERSPECTIVE.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE ANTI-GLOBALIST MOVEMENT IN RUSSIA NAMED BASHAR
AL ASSAD TO BE ONE OF THEIR HONORARY MEMBERS.
OKAY. THEY ALSO NAMED MAHMOUD
AHMADINEJAD FROM IRAN. THEY NAMED HIM TO BE AN HONORARY
MEMBER. THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS
THE ANTI-GLOBALIST MOVEMENT OF RUSSIA DOES THAT DON'T SIT WELL
WITH AN AMERICAN AUDIENCE. BUT THEY ALSO DO STUFF THAT' TH
DESIGNED TO SEEM MORE BENIGN OR MAYBE EVEN QUIRKY AND
INTRIGUING. THAT SAME GROUP, THE
ANTI-GLOBALIST MOVEMENT OF RUSSIA RECENTLY LAST YEAR FUNDED
SOMETHING CALLED THE DIALOGUE OF NATIONS.
IT WAS A CONFERENCE HOSTED IN MOSCOW LAST YEAR.
AND AT THAT CONFERENCE THEY PUT DOWN ALL THE SUPPORTING ASSAD,
SUPPORTING AHMADINEJAD STUFF TO INSTEAD HOST THIS QUIRKY GOOD
NATURED ASSEMBLAGE OF MINI NATIONALIST GROUPS.
MINI INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
AND ONE OF THE GROUPS THEY HOSTED AT THEIR DIALOGUE OF
NATIONS GROUP WAS, YES, CALIFORNIA.
YES, CALIFORNIA. YOU HEARD ABOUT THIS AFTER THE
ELECTION. THEY GOT A LITTLE FLURRY OF
ATTENTION AFTER OUR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
CALIFORNIA'S LEGISLATURE WAS GETTING A LOT OF ATTENTION FOR
HOW THAT STATE MIGHT TAKE AN AGGRESSIVE, STRATEGIC APPROACH
TO OUTFLANK THE NEW TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ON POLICY STUFF,
PARTICULARLY ON IMMIGRATION. BUT BEYOND THAT, THERE WERE ALSO
THESE ALMOST HUMAN INTEREST POLITICS STORY ABOUT CALIFORNIA
SECEDING. THIS NEW TECH SAVVY SLICK, KIND
OF APPEALING, VAGUELY LIBERAL SOUNDING YES CALIFORNIA
MOVEMENT. THAT WAS CALLING FOR CALIFORNIA
TO NOT JUST RESIST THE U.S. GOVERNMENT UNDER TRUMP BUT FOR
CALIFORNIA TO BECOME ITS OWN COUNTRY.
AND, IN FACT, YES CALIFORNIA SUBMITTED LANGUAGE TO THE
CALIFORNIA SECRETARY OF STATE SO THEY COULD START COLLECTING
SIGNATURES TO GET CALIFORNIA SECESSION ON THE BALLOT FOR THE
MIDTERMS FOR NOVEMBER 2018. THEY MADE YES CALIFORNIA
T-SHIRTS. THEY STARTED GETTING MORE AND
MORE MEDIA ATTENTION. MORE AND MORE SOCIAL MEDIA
ATTENTION. MORE AND MORE SIGN-UPS ON THEIR
WEBSITE. THEN IT GOT WEIRD.
OUR ELECTION WAS NOVEMBER. IN DECEMBER, THIS HAPPENED.
THEY OPENED UP AN EMBASSY FOR THE REPUBLIC OF CALIFORNIA.
SEE WHAT IT SAYS RIGHT THERE UNDER THE WORD CALIFORNIA?
AN EMBASSY FOR THE REPUBLIC OF CALIFORNIA IN MOSCOW.
NOW THEY INTERCHANGEABLY CALLED IT AN EMBASSY OR PEOPLE'S
EMBASSY OR CULTURE CENTER. BUT THEY TOOK THEMSELVES VERY
SERIOUSLY ABOUT IT. THEY PUT OUT THIS STATEMENT.
"TOGETHER WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE ANTI-GLOBALIZATION MOVEMENT
OF RUSSIA, OUR FIRST CULTURE CENTER WAS OPENED AT THE
FOLLOWING ADDRESS." AND THEY GIVE YOU THAT ADDRESAD.
IF YOU LOOK IT UP ON GOOGLE EARTH IT'S NOT A SCENIC PLACE
BUT IT IS A REAL PLACE. REALLY IN MOSCOW.
THEY ALSO WENT ON TO GIVE SOME ODD ASSURANCES THAT YOU THINK
THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO REASSURE PEOPLE ABOUT.
LIKE THIS. QUOTE, CONTRARY TO SOME REPORTS,
THE CALIFORNIA CULTURE CENTER AND PEOPLE'S EMBASSY IN MOSCOW
DOES NOT SERVE ANY DIPLOMATIC FUNCTION AT THIS TIME.
OUR OFFICE MAKES CLEAR THAT RUSSIANS PLANNING TO CALIFORNIA
MUST FIRST OBTAIN A VISA THROUGH THE AMERICAN EMBASSY IN MOSCOW
OR ONE OF THEIR CONSULATES. THEY ALSO WANT TO MAKE CLEAR
THEY'RE NOT INSISTING THAT CALIFORNIA SHOULD JOIN THE
RUSSIAN FEDERATION LIKE CRIMEA DID.
OH, IS THAT WHAT CRIMEA DID? THEY JOINED.
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THEY GOT INVADED BY RUSSIA.
FROM THEIR PERCH IN MOSCOW, THE FOLKS AT YES CALIFORNIA SAID
THEY EXPLICITLY SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE CALIFORNIANS TO STAND
UP AND TAKE DIRECTION ACTION TO BE BOLD AND TO UNAPOLOGETICALLY
DEMAND THE LIBERATION OF THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA FROM ITS
CAPTORS. ITS CAPTORS BEING AMERICA.
BUT AGAIN, THEY WANT TO MAKE CLEAR BECAUSE THEY THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT TO GIVE THIS KIND OF ASSURANCE.
THEY WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT THEY ARE NOT ASKING FOR CALIFORNIA TO
BECOME PART OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, AND THEY ARE NOT
ASKING FOR RUSSIAN MILITARY HELP.
AT LEAST NOT YET. >> SO WE'RE NOT REQUESTING ANY
KIND OF MILITARY ASSISTANCE FROM RUSSIA.
>> TO SEPARATE CALIFORNIA FROM AMERICA.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW. SO IS THIS LIKE WEIRD TURN OF
EVENTS, RIGHT? ALL THIS COVERAGE IN THE UNITED
STATES HOW THERE'S THIS ODD SECESSION MOVEMENT IN CALIFORNIA
IN RESPONSE TO DONALD TRUMP GETTING ELECTED WHEN CALIFORNIA
VOTED AGAINST HIM SO STRONGLY. BUT THEN THAT LEADER OF THE YES
CALIFORNIA MOVEMENT SAYS HE HIMSELF VOTED FOR TRUMP.
AND HE DOES KEEP TURNING UP IN RUSSIA.
SO PUTIN'S CHARITY -- PUTIN'S CHARITY GROUP FUNDS THIS
ANTI-GLOBALIZATION MOVEMENT THAT FUNDS THIS CONFERENCE AT WHICH
THE YES CALIFORNIA GUY SHOWS UP. SOON AFTER THE ELECTION THAT
LEADS TO THE FOUNDING OF A PHYSICAL CALIFORNIA EMBASSY IN
MOSCOW WHERE THEY GO OUT OF THEIR WAY TO MAKE CLEAR THEY'RE
NOT REQUESTING RUSSIAN MILITARY INTERVENTION TO BREAK CALIFORNIA
OFF FROM THE UNITED STATES. BUT THEN IT BECOMES CLEAR THAT
THE YES CALIFORNIA GUY WAS NOT JUST VISITING RUSSIA WHEN HE
WENT TO THE INITIAL DIALOGUE OF NATIONS CONFERENCE.
NOR WAS HE JUST VISITING WHEN HE APPEARED AT THE OPENING OF THE
EMBASSY. HE ACTUALLY LIVES IN RUSSIA.
HE LIVES FULL TIME AND WORKS FULL TIME IN YEKATERINBURG IN
RUSSIA. AND NOW THE STORY HAS COME FULL
CIRCLE. AT LEAST I HOPE THIS IS FULL
CIRCLE AND WON'T TURN INTO A SPIRAL.
THE FOUNDER OF THE YES SECESSION CALIFORNIA HAS ANNOUNCED HE'S
NOT COMING BACK TO THE UNITED STATES.
HE SAYS, QUOTE, I HAVE FOUND IN RUSSIA A NEW HAPPINESS.
HE SAYS, QUOTE, I HAD LONG PLANNED TO RETURN TO OCCUPIED
CALIFORNIA TO STRUGGLE FOR HER INDEPENDENCE FROM THE UNITED
STATES BUT ALAS, NOW HE SAYS, QUOTE, HE DOES NOT PLAN TO -- HE
DOES NOT PLAN TO RETURN TO CALIFORNIA IN THE FORESEEABLE
FUTURE. HE SAYS EVEN THOUGH HE STILL
BELIEVES THAT CALIFORNIA WILL SOME DAY ACHIEVE ITS
INDEPENDENCE FROM THE UNITED STATES, HIS GROUP YES CALIFORNIA
IS WITHDRAWING ITS BALLOT LANGUAGE NOW FROM THE SECRETARY
OF STATE'S OFFICE AND SO BASICALLY, THAT YES CALIFORNIA
MOVEMENT, THE CALIFORNIA SECESSION MOVEMENT UNDER HIM IS
NOW JUST THIS KID LIVING IN YEKATERINBURG, RUSSIA.
HAPPILY, AS A RUSSIAN NOW. BUT NEVERTHELESS SAYING HE PLANS
TO CONTINUE TO SERVE AS THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REPUBLIC
OF CALIFORNIA TO RUSSIA FROM HIS PERCH IN YEKATURINBURG.
ON THE BLOOD. SO CONSEQUENCES OF THIS FOR US
NOW, NUMBER ONE, SORRY TO DISAPPOINT.
CALIFORNIA SECESSION WILL LIKELY NOT BE ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER
2018. BUT THIS IS ALSO A GOOD LITTLE
DISPLAY OF HOW RUSSIA FUNDS STUFF.
HOW THEY DO STUFF IN THE WORLD. RUSSIA IS PLAYING ALL OVER THE
WORLD TRYING TO GET ITS WAY THROUGH ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT
MEANS. AND SOMETIMES THEY JUST FLAT OUT
OPENLY GIVE TONS OF MONEY. LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, WHAT THEY DID
WITH MARINE LE PEN WHO IS NOW IN THE RUNNING TO BE THE VERY,
VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY FAR RIGHT WING PRESIDENT OF FRANCE.
PROMISING TO TAKE FRANCE BOTH OUT OF EUROPE AND NATO WHICH
WOULD MAKE PUTIN HAPPY. THEY'VE BEEN HAPPY TO FUND
MARINE LE PEN'S CAMPAIGN TO THE TUNE OF MILLIONS OF EUROS.
AND VLADIMIR PUTIN AND MARINE LE PEN HAVE BEEN HAPPY TO BE SEEN
TOGETHER. THAT'S ONE TIME THEY DO IT.
SOMETIMES IT'S NOT AS OUT IN THE OPEN.
SOMETIMES IT'S MORE LIKE THE WACKY YES CALIFORNIA THING.
PUTIN AS THE PATRON OF A CHARITY FUNDING AN ORGANIZATION, A
CONFERENCE AND SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'S OTHERWISE A
QUIRKY FACEBOOK PAGE OR SIDE BAR HUMAN INTEREST STORY IN AMERICAN
POLITICS ENDS UP OPERATING OUT OF REAL FREE REAL ESTATE IN MISS
-- MOSCOW RUNNING A FAKE
EMBASSY. ANOTHER WAY THAT PUTIN GETS HIS
WAY AND SPREADS HIS INFLUENCE AND USES HIS MONEY IS THROUGH
THE OLIGARCH SYSTEM WHICH BASECALLY ALLOWS PUTIN TO CREATE
PROXIES ALL OVER RUSSIA AND INCREASINGLY ALL OVER THE WORLD.
IF YOU ARE A RUSSIAN IN PUTIN'S FAVOR, OR HE WANTS TO CO-OPT YOU
FOR HIS PURPOSES, THE TYPICAL PATTERN WOULD BE FOR HIM TO
DIRECT RESOURCES YOUR WAY. TO MAKE STATE ASSETS AVAILABLE
FOR YOU. THAT'S WHY WE HAVE LIKE A
RUSSIAN FERTILIZER OLIGARCH AND A RUSSIAN ALUMINUM OLIGARCH.
THESE GUYS DIDN'T WORK THEIR WAY UP IN THE FERTILIZER AND
ALUMINUM INDUSTRIES OR INHERIT THESE FROM THEIR DADS, RIGHT?
THIS IS POST-SOVIET RESOURCE ALLOCATION FROM PREVIOUSLY
STATE-RUN ENTERPRISES. THESE GUYS WERE ALLOWED TO, WERE
PROVIDED WITH THE MEANS TO TAKE OVER BIG CHUNKS OF FORMALLY
STATE-RUN INDUSTRIES FROM THE FORMER SOVIET ERA HAS DIRECTED
BY AND APPROVED BY PUTIN HIMSELF.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A GROUP CALLED THE SIBERIAN ENERGY
GROUP. THE SIBERIAN ENERGY GROUP HAS
OBTAINED MINERAL RIGHTS AND OIL EXPLORATION LICENSES IN A
SPECIFIC PART OF SIBERIA IN RUSSIA.
YOU DON'T GET THAT KIND OF THING WITHOUT A SPECIFIC KIND OF
PERMISSION IN RUSSIA. AND THAT PERMISSION HAS DIRECT
AND INDIRECT CONSEQUENCES. IT SETS UP, FOR EXAMPLE, THE
HEAD OF THE SIBERIAN ENERGY GROUP IN TERMS OF PROVIDING HIM
WITH PERSONAL POWER AND PERSONAL WEALTH.
IT ALSO INDIRECTLY ESTABLISHES YET ANOTHER MYSTERIOUSLY WEALTHY
PUTIN-CONNECTED BUSINESSMAN WHO SOMETIMES SEEMS TO BE TIED TO
THINGS THAT PUTIN WANTS TO HAPPEN IN THE WORLD.
THIS IS SORT OF THE TRACES THE OLIGARCHS LEAVE ALL OVER THE
WORLD, RIGHT? THE SIBERIAN ENERGY GROUP, I
HIGHLIGHT THAT GROUP BECAUSE THEY PLAY A STARRING ROLE IN A
SCOOP AT POLITICO.COM. THEY'VE DONE A DEEP DIVE INTO
THE FINANCES OF THE SIBERIAN ENERGY GROUP AND CONCLUDED THE
SIBERIAN ENERGY GROUP'S DEALINGS WERE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE
KWEETS TRADES OFFSHORE FINANCING SCHEMES AND CONSULTING
AGREEMENTS THAT PUTIN'S ALLIES HAVE USED TO PROTECT AND HIDE
ASSETS. POLITICO IS REPORTING ON THIS
PARTICULAR TRAIL OF PUTIN MONEY AND PUTIN INFLUENCE BECAUSE IT
NOW APPEARS TO RELATE TO THE MAN YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN HERE.
IT NOW APPEARS TO RELATE TO THE TRUMP WHITE HOUSE SPECIFICALLY
TO THE FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER MICHAEL FLYNN.
YOU REMEMBER THAT AFTER MIKE FLYNN GOT FIRED AS NATIONAL
SECURITY ADVISER, ALLEGEDLY FOR NOT DISCLOSING AND THEN LYING
ABOUT THE CONTENT OF HIS COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE RUSSIAN
GOVERNMENT, A FEW WEEKS AFTER HE GOT FIRED, HE RETROACTIVELY
REGISTERED AS A FOREIGN AGENT WHO HAD BEEN WORKING ON BEHALF
OF THE GOVERNMENT OF TURKEY. WHAT POLITICO.COM REPORTS TODAY
IS THAT WHILE IT IS CLEAR THAT MIKE FLYNN TOOK MONEY TO ACT AS
A FOREIGN AGENT, IT'S NOT CLEAR THAT THE ORIGIN OF THOSE FUNDS
IS DEFINITELY TURKEY. THE THAFTD SIBERIAN ENERGY GROUP
IS NOT A TURKISH GUY. HE IS, AS POLITICO PUTS IT, A
SOVIET-BORN FORMER EXECUTIVE IN RUSSIAN ENERGY AND MINING
COMPANIES. ONE WHO HAS TIES TO VLADIMIR
PUTIN. HE'S NOT TURKISH.
HE'S NOT A TURKISH CITIZEN. DOESN'T LIVE IN TURKEY.
HE'S NOT TURKISH. HE HAS NEVERTHELESS FOUNDED A
COUPLE OF VERY TURKISH SOUNDING ORGANIZATIONS THAT OPERATE IN
WASHINGTON, D.C. THE TURKISH HERITAGE
ORGANIZATION. AND THE TURKISH INSTITUTE FOR
PROGRESS. BOTH OF THEM SET UP BY NOBODY
TURKISH. BOTH OF THEM SET UP BY A RUSSIAN
ENERGY AND MINING EXECUTIVE WHO HAS TIES TO PUTIN.
THROUGH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, POLITICO REPORTS THAT HE HAS
COORDINATED WHAT APPEAR TO BE TURKISH LOBBYING EFFORTS IN D.C.
HE APPEARS TO HAVE COORDINATED THOSE EFFORTS WITH THE GUY WHO
PAID FLYNN. THE GUY WHOSE SHELL COMPANY PAID
MIKE FLYNN OVER $600,000. SO IN ADDITION TO -- WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT THE GUY WHO PAID FLYNN.
IN ADDITION TO HIS PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE NOT AT ALL TURKISH GUY
WHO IS CLOSE TO PUTIN, WHO IS RUNNING THESE TURKISH LOBBYING
EFFORTS, THE GUY WHO PAID FLYNN HIMSELF ALSO IT TURNS OUT HAS
HIS OWN BUSINESS TIES TO RUSSIA AND TO PUTIN.
INCLUDING PRETTY SIGNIFICANT SIZED AVIATION DEALS RUN THROUGH
A RUSSIAN STATE-RUN BANK. A RUSSIAN STATE-RUN BANK THAT'S
BEEN IMPLICATED IN RUSSIAN INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS IN THE
PAST, AND HE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN DEALS THROUGH THAT BANK THAT
HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO BE SIGNED OFF ON BY PUTIN HIMSELF
PERSONALLY. ACCORDING TO COURT DOCUMENTS
REVIEWED BY ISAAC ARNSDORF AT POLITO COE.
THE MULTIPLE CONNECTIONS TO FLYNN'S LOBBYING CONTRACT RAISE
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE AGENDA OF THE PEOPLE WHO HIRED FLYNN AND,
QUOTE, THE SOURCE OF THE FUNDS USED TO PAY HIM.
SO THIS IS A REMARKABLE THING, RIGHT?
AS WE COME UP ON THIS BENCHMARK ROUND NUMBER OF 100 DAYS, AT
WHICH WE ARE SUPPOSED TO ASSESS HOW THE PRESIDENT AND HIS NEW
ADMINISTRATION IS GOING, THERE REMAINS, ALONGSIDE EVERYTHING
ELSE THAT'S GOING ON AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S WORTH
TALKING ABOUT, THERE REMAINS THIS VERY WEIRD, VERY
UNPRECEDENTED THING ABOUT THEM FIRING THE NATIONAL SECURITY
ADVISER AFTER ONLY 24 DAYS ON THE JOB.
IT'S STILL UNEXPLAINED, AND IT IS STILL -- IT IS ABSOLUTELY
UNPRECEDENTED THAT A NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER WOULD BE FIRED
THAT SOON INTO AN ADMINISTRATION.
THAT HE'D BE FIRED FOR LYING ABOUT HIS CONTACTS WITH A
FOREIGN GOVERNMENT, PARTICULARLY AFTER THAT FOREIGN GOVERNMENT
HAD BEEN PUBLICLY ACCUSED BY THE U.S. INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY OF
ATTACKING OUR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
IT IS AS YET UNEXPLAINED AND TOTALLY UNPRECEDENTED THAT THE
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER WOULD THEN RETROACTIVELY REGISTER AS
HAVING BEEN ON THE PAYROLL OF A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT DURING THE
TIME HE WAS ADVISING THE PRESIDENT AND SITTING IN ON THE
PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF AND GETTING SUPPOSEDLY VETTED TO BE
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER. THE UNPRECEDENTED AND STRANGE
AND STILL UNEXPLAINED NATURE OF ALL OF THAT GOES TO ANOTHER
LEVEL. IF IT NOW TURBS OUT THAT THE
MONEY MIKE FLYNN WAS TAKING FROM FOREIGN SOURCES WHILE RUSSIA WAS
ATTACKING OUR COUNTRY IS, IN FACT, MONEY THAT CONCEIVABLY
COULD HAVE COME FROM RUSSIA, NOT FROM ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT.
SO THAT'S ALL WEIRD AND UNPRECEDENTED AND AS YET TOTALLY
UNEXPLAINED. PEOPLE TALK ABOUT GETTING TO THE
BOTTOM OF THE TRUMP/RUSSIA CONNECTION.
THIS IS A BIG PART OF IT. IT'S BEEN WEERD FROM THE VERY
BEGINNING. TODAY THE WEIRD WENT PRO THANKS
TO AN UNEXPECTED FORMAL INQUIRY. MOST OF WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENED WITH THE RUSSIAN ATTACK ON ELECTION AND THE LINKS OF
PEOPLE IN THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN. MOST OF WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THAT
HAS BEEN LEARNED THROUGH INVESTIGATE OF JOURNALISM.
THE GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATION INTO WHAT HAPPENED, THEY ARE
ONGOING, BUT FOR LOTS OF DIFFERENT REASONS THEY DON'T
PARTICULARLY INSPIRE CONFIDENCE RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE HEARD HIDE NOR HAIR OF THE HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE
INVESTIGATION SINCE THE REPUBLICAN CHAIRMAN OF THAT
COMMITTEE RECUSED HIMSELF FROM THE INVESTIGATION AND HIMSELF
BECAME UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE HOUSE ETHSICES COMMITTEE FOR
HIS STRANGE BEHAVIOR TOWARD THE WHITE HOUSE WHILE SUPPORTEDLY
RUNNING THIS INVESTIGATION. THAT'S IN THE HOUSE.
ON THE SENATE SIDE, THIS WEEK WE'VE LEARNED THEY'VE ASSIGNED
PRECISELY ZERO FULL-TIME STAPPERS TO WORK ON THEIR
INVESTIGATION. THEY'VE ISSUED ZERO SUBPOENAS.
THEY'VE MADE ZERO REQUESTS FOR DOCUMENTS AND HAVE CONDUCTED NO
MAJOR INTERVIEWS WITH ANYONE LINKED TO TRUMP.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE DONE WITH YOUR MORE THAN THREE MONTHS
WORKING ON THIS ALREADY. AS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
AND THE FBI INVESTIGATIONS, WE LEARNED LAST WEEK THE CHIEF OF
THE NATIONAL SECURITY DIVISION AT JUSTICE, A WIDELY RESPECTED
CAREER OFFICIAL WHO HAS BEEN OVERSEEING THOSE MATTERS IS NOW
STEPPING DOWN. WE DO NOT KNOW WHO WILL REPLACE
HER BUT IT WILL BE A CHOICE OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
WHOEVER IT IS. TONIGHT THE SENATE CONFIRMED A
NEW DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AS A
WHOLE. HE WILL NOW OVERSEE THE
INVESTIGATIONS AT EVEN A HIGHER LEVEL, AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL
BECAUSE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HIMSELF IS RECUSED FROM THIS
MATTER THANKS TO HIS OWN UNDISCLOSED TIES TO THE RUSSIAN
GOVERNMENT. DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL ROD
ROSENSTEIN WAS CONFIRMED BY THE SENATE TONIGHT AS A TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION APPOINTEE. HE'LL BE THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF
OVERSIGHT OVER THE TRUMP RUSSIA INVESTIGATIONS INCLUDING THOSE
AT THE FBI, AND IT WILL BE HIS CALL AND HIS CALL ALONE AS TO
WHETHER OR NOT THERE SHOULD INSTEAD BE A SPECIAL COUNSEL
CONDUBTING SOME OF THIS INVESTIGATION INSTEAD OF KEEPING
IT IN HOUSE UNDER HIS PURVIEW. SO WHEN THOSE ARE THE THREE
LEVELS OF INVESTIGATION GOING ON INSIDE THE GOVERNMENT, YOU CAN
SEE WHY PEOPLE WHO CARE VERY MUCH ABOUT THIS STORY START TO
FEEL A LITTLE WOBBLY, RIGHT, ABOUT WHETHER WE'LL EVER GET TO
THE BOTTOM OF IT. BUT NOW A WHOLE DIFFERENT GROUP,
THE HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, THEY JUMPED IN.
THEY HAVE REQUESTED THAT THEY'D LIKE TO SEE THE DOCUMENTS THAT
MIKE FLYNN FILED TO UP HIS SECURITY CLEARANCE WHEN HE CAME
ON BOARD AS NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER.
WHAT THEY FOUND IS ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING AND MAY EXPLAIN WHY
MIKE FLYNN IS ASKING FOR IMMUNITY AS WELL ON HIS
TESTIMONY ABOUT RUSSIA. BUT THE MOST AMAZING THING THEY
FOUND WAS A TOTAL SHOCK. TOTALLY UNEXPECTED AND SOMETHING
THAT I CANNOT BELIEVE WILL BE ALLOWED TO STAND.
BUT THAT CAME DIRECTLY FROM THE
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