A key source of material in the largely discredited “Steele file” against former President Donald Trump was surprised to learn that the gossip he shared turned out to be in the hands of the FBI, according to a new report.
Public relations veteran Charles Chuck Dolan Jr. seemed shocked by the contents of the scandalous dossier when it was published by BuzzFeed shortly before Trump took office, some of his associates told the Wall Street Journal.
Dolan, a longtime ally of both Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton, even sent an email condemning the dossier just hours after it was published online, according to the Journal.
“I hope this is revealed as fake news,” he wrote.
“I will consult with some people in the intelligence world to see if they know who made this.”
Many of the important details in the dossier, compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele, are the product of gossip traded by Dolan; Washington, DC, researcher Igor Danchenko; and one of Danchenko’s former classmates in Russia, Olga Galkina, the newspaper reported.
The dossier falsely claims that former President Donald Trump hired prostitutes to urinate on a bed in an apartment at Moscow’s Ritz-Carlton Hotel because he had previously slept with former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. AP / Evan Vucci
In November, Danchenko was arrested as part of Special Prosecutor John Durham’s investigation into alleged violations of the law in connection with the FBI’s investigation into alleged links between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia.
Danchenko, who is accused of lying to the federals about the sources of information he gave Steele, tweeted in February about his arrest and prosecution, the newspaper said.
“Feel tired. And this is an obstacle for others. Can I not play this stupid game anymore? ”He wrote.
Former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele has complied with much of Dolan’s gossip dossier. Aaron Chown / PA FILE via AP
So what did you want to do? You revealed my identity, you made fun of me, you made sure I couldn’t work or travel … because I spend all my and my family’s money to the penny … And what is your final game? (I want a course for a friend). ”
Dancheko added “Goodbye” and did not tweet again after signing on February 3rd.
According to his indictment, Danchenko claims that he never communicated with Dolan about the information that was in Steele’s file, although he “source of one or more specific allegations” of Dolan anonymously.
Dolan told the federals that an employee of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel he spoke to “did not mention any sexual or obscene activity.” AP / Alexander Zemlyanichenko
This information allegedly includes elements of the scandalous claim that Russian intelligence has a video of prostitutes hired by Trump urinating on a bed in an apartment at Moscow’s Ritz-Carlton hotel, having previously slept with former President Barack Obama and the first Lady Michelle Obama.
Dolan met with the hotel’s general manager and toured the presidential suite while staying there in June 2016, and also had lunch with Danchenko at about the same time, according to Danchenko’s indictment.
Days later, the indictment alleges that “certain” information – including the fact that Trump was staying in the presidential suite – appeared in a chapter of the file, although Dolan told federals that an employee of the hotel he was with he said, “he didn’t mention any sex life.” or indecent activity. “
It is also alleged that Danchenko used Dolan as the main source for part of the dossier relating to the resignation of Paul Manafort as chairman of the Trump campaign in August 2016.
Manafort was later convicted of two federal charges, including bank and tax fraud and lies about his foreign lobbying, but was pardoned by Trump about a month before leaving office.
It is unclear whether Dolan knew that his conversations with Danchenko were helping Steele compile the file, the newspaper said.
Former Trump campaign president Paul Manafort has been convicted of two federal lawsuits involving banking and tax fraud.AP / Seth Wenig
Dolan declined to comment, telling the Journal through a lawyer that it would be inappropriate while Danchenko – who pleaded not guilty – faces prosecution.
Galkina, who said in civil court documents last year that she never gave Danchenko permission to disclose their conversations, could not be found, according to the newspaper.
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