Tornado Alley (PROG)

[JimLur]

Lawyers are the root of all evil: Democratic party sues Russia, the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks, alleging conspiracy to influence the 2016 election
Nicole Gaudiano and Fredreka Schouten, USA TODAY Published 12:13 p.m. ET April 20, 2018 | Updated 12:56 p.m. ET April 20, 2018
(I can't stand it. This is beyond unconscionable.)

WASHINGTON -- The Democratic National Committee has filed a lawsuit against the Russian government, the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks, alleging they conspired to influence the 2016 election in favor of President Trump.

Several intelligence agencies have blamed Russian agents for hacking the DNC's computers and meddling in the election in an effort to help Trump.

The lawsuit alleges that Russia found a "willing and active partner" in the Trump campaign, which shared the goal of hurting the Democratic Party and electing Donald Trump. It says representatives of the three groups remained in contact with each other as the cyberattack was being carried out.

“During the 2016 presidential campaign, Russia launched an all-out assault on our democracy, and it found a willing and active partner in Donald Trump’s campaign," DNC Chair Tom Perez said in a statement Friday. "This constituted an act of unprecedented treachery: the campaign of a nominee for President of the United States in league with a hostile foreign power to bolster its own chance to win the presidency."

Several intelligence agencies have blamed Russian agents for hacking the DNC's computers and meddling in the election in an effort to help Trump.

The cyberattack on the DNC's computers was a "major component of the Russian interference campaign," according to the DNC. In 2015 and 2016, Russian intelligence agents hacked into DNC computer systems, stole DNC documents and emails, and used WikiLeaks and fake personas operated by Russian intelligence to disseminate the stolen materials to voters, the DNC alleges.

“No one is above the law and the perpetrators of this attack must be held accountable," Perez said. "They successfully hacked the Democratic Party in 2016 and they will be back. We must prevent future attacks on our democracy, and that’s exactly what we’re doing today. This is not partisan, it’s patriotic. If the occupant of the Oval Office won’t protect our democracy, Democrats will. It is our obligation to the American people.”

The White House and Trump campaign officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The lawsuit coincides with an investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into Russian meddling with the election. Trump has repeatedly said his campaign did not collude with the Russian government, and he has called investigations into the matter a "witch hunt."

The DNC says its lawsuit is based on "facts, admissions of defendants in multiple criminal proceedings, including their own words, records that have been released in legal filings, the conclusions of the U.S. intelligence community and widely confirmed news reports."

The lawsuit alleges the Russian government notified the Trump campaign in advance that it had stolen Democratic emails and other information about the Democratic Party that it was seeking to use in support of Trump’s candidacy.

Trump’s closest political adviser, Roger Stone, also appeared to have advance knowledge of specific plans by WikiLeaks to disseminate some of this information, the party alleges. Throughout the campaign, Trump associates remained in contact with individuals closely connected to the Kremlin and Russian intelligence agencies.

The lawsuit also names Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, as defendants.

The lawsuit is based, on part, on a federal computer fraud law that allows victims of hacking to pursue damages in civil court.

Nick Ackerman, a former Watergate prosecutor and an expert on computer security issues, said the DNC’s move could pose significant legal risks for Trump’s allies because it could allow the party to begin “taking depositions and getting documents” to prove their allegations. It also provides another avenue to probe Russian interference in the 2016 election beyond Mueller's investigation.

“If Mueller were fired, they could continue with this,” Ackerman said of the Democratic Party. “Trump can’t pardon anybody in a civil case. He can’t stop the civil case.”

"It really does give the Democratic National Committee a means to go after people hard and heavy here," he added.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/04/20/democratic-party-sues-russia-trump-campaign-and-wikileaks-alleging-conspiracy-influence-2016-electio/536032002/