Scott Horton Show - Just the Interviews 8/8/25 Matt Taibbi on the Damning New Details about Russiagate
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Aug 12, 2025 
Matt Taibbi, a renowned journalist known for his sharp insights into political controversies, returns to discuss newly uncovered details about Russiagate. He questions the credibility of the intelligence assessments regarding Russian interference, highlighting inconsistencies influenced by a select few CIA analysts. The conversation dives into the complexities of the DNC hack and the challenges of identifying hackers. Taibbi also critiques the Durham Report, shedding light on overlooked figures and the manipulation of information that shaped public perception during this tumultuous era.
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ICA Was Handled By A Few Analysts
- The ICA claim that Russia 'preferred' Trump rested largely on a few handpicked CIA analysts, not a broad intelligence consensus.
- Matt Taibbi emphasizes that John Brennan effectively overruled his own analysts to produce the final assessment.
NSA's Silence Undermines Hack Attribution
- The NSA, uniquely able to trace internet traffic, did not back the high-confidence claim about the DNC hack.
- Scott Horton and Taibbi note that the agency's absence undermines the certainty of attribution.
Stefan Halper And Paid 'Bumps' Into Campaign
- Stefan Halper, a long-known CIA operative, worked as an informant who 'bumped' into Trump campaign associates.
- Taibbi describes how Halper was paid through a Pentagon mail-drop scheme and received hundreds of thousands of dollars.
