NEWSWATCH: “Leakgate Finds Its Joe McCarthy; On Trump-Russia links, Rep. Schiff tries to fool the public with randomness” – Wall Street Journal/HOLMAN W. JENKINS, JR.

March 22, 2017 JRL Russia List JRL NewsBlog, Spies, Spy Allegations, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations

Adam Schiff file photo, adapted from image at congress.gov

“… Schiff, a former prosecutor, … should know better than to treat ‘circumstantial evidence’ as a synonym for guilt by association. There isn’t room to detail the fantastically trivial basis for his portrayal of Trump pilot fish Roger Stone as an intimate of WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange and alleged hacker Guccifer 2.0, or the utter fatuity of his attempt to place pilot fish Carter Page at the center of Russia’s recent sale of a Rosneft stake to a Qatari investment fund. * * * … what of the question that usually excites conspiracy theorists like … Schiff [–] who benefits? * * * … It’s impossible to know whether Russia’s DNC leaks accounted for … Clinton’s defeat, though it hardly seems likely. Powerful circumstantial evidence, however, suggests Democrats believed that linking … Trump and Putin would actually be their ace in the hole. … One conclusion recommends itself overwhelmingly … Obama … used his authority over the intelligence agencies to advance this partisan narrative. A congressman with a modest profile … Schiff has been working hard … to become the public face – not to say the Joe McCarthy – of this witch hunt. … his main chance. … Again, who really benefits from his relentless campaign …? The answer is obviously Mr. Schiff – but also Mr. Putin.”