February 5, 2018 --

The New York Times, October 24, reported that the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) paid for research that was in the dossier of anti-Trump material compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele. The Times story, cited a report the previous day in The Washington Post, that the Clinton campaign's law firm, Perkins Coie, had a "role in funding the research." According to a letter from the managing partner of Perkins Coie to the attorney for Fusion GPS, the law firm "engaged Fusion GPS to perform a variety of research services during the 2016 election cycle."

The Times article, however, did not mention that the manner of funding is the subject of a complaint before the Federal Election Commission for filing an inaccurate report. According to the complaint, brought by the Campaign Legal Center, the role of Fusion GPS in paying for the dossier was not mentioned. Campaign records apparently showed payments from the Clinton campaign to the law firm for "Legal Services.'" Payments to the law firm from the DNC are said to have been described as "'Legal and Compliance Consulting,'" -- "'Administrative Fees,"' "Travel,'" and "'Data Services Subscription.'" There was also a reported payment from the DNC to the law firm of $66,500, August 16, 2016 "for research consulting.'" In a footnote, the complaint points out that this description does not accurately describe the "actual research" for the dossier, and "also conceals the true recipient of the disbursement.

2. LPR, in the New York Times, January 20, caught a reference to the German Marshall Fund as source of warning about "Russian-linked influence networks," on Twitter. This organization has established an "Alliance for Securing Democracy," headed by Laura Rosenberger, a former foreign policy advisor to Hillary Clinton. The Mission Statement for this alliance begins: "In 2016, American democracy came under unprecedented attack." The statement continues: "The government of the Russian Federation attempted to weaken the pillars of our democracy and undermine faith and confidence in society's most fundamental right -- the ability to choose our own leaders." Seems to LPR that the people at the Alliance to Secure Democracy are presently engaged in undermining faith and confidence in President Trump. These people include Never Trumpers Bill Kristol and former acting CIA director Mike Morell, who endorsed the election of Hillary Clinton in an anti-Trump op-ed in The New York Times.

The Times did not mention the Clintonista context of the German Marshall Fund or of its Alliance to Secure Democracy.