Election Interference - 2020: Foreign “Dirt”: What Should You Do?

President Trump caused another stir when responding in an interview about accepting information about a political opponent from a foreign nation/government? This all relates to his campaign’s repeated interactions with and contacts with foreign Russian agents noted in the Mueller Report. Trump’s initial response stated that he would, and he didn’t see anything wrong with doing so. He also stated that there was no need to inform the FBI about such contacts/offers.

Since making those comments, Trump has ‘clarified’ that would check the information and if it’s incorrect or badly stated then he’d turn it over to the FBI. He would still accept the information in order to determine what it was. As to be expected there has been a rather universal condemnation of his original position, and the clarification isn’t likely to settle the issue.

This seems to be a good topic for an American Intelligence Test (AIT). While the specific election interference connection makes this issue a hot news/political topic, the underlying issue contains a much more important array of topics. This AIT thus is both much more important and vastly more difficult to pass, though it’s hard to understand why passing should be at all difficult. In fact, the correct answers should be excessively easy to know because the all the questions ought to have been answered and established as a basic strategy dealing with the fundamental issue. And that explains why the test will be hard to pass.

Good luck

Question A:   Is accepting information about a political campaign and/or opponent from a foreign government against the law?

(1). Yes

(2). No

Question B:   Does terming the information “opposition research” change the legality of accepting the information?         

(1). Yes

(2). No

Question C:   If you were offered “dirt” on your opponent, do you accept it, inform the FBI and when?

(1). Yes, Yes, and if the information is not correct.

(2). Yes, Yes, if after looking at the information and you determine it should be reported

(3). Yes, Yes, after receiving the information and reviewing it

(4). Yes, Yes, after being offered the information and before receiving it

(5). Yes, No

(6). No, Yes after the offer

Question D:   Is there a legal way to accept the “intel”?

(1). Yes

(2). No

Question E:    Does accepting info from a foreign government put you at risk?

(1). Yes

(2). No

Question F:    What if the information being offered doesn’t come from a foreign government, but from a foreign business, political party or other entity; is that the same issue?

(1). Yes

(2). No

Question G:   Reverse the scenario, is a candidate required by law to inform the FBI about a foreign government or entity that indicates it has “dirt” about the candidate him/herself that it won’t release?

(1). Yes

(2). No

Question H:   Does a foreign entity’s offer to a candidate, politician, government official, or American citizen that they and will provide ‘dirt’ on some other candidate, politician, government official, or American citizen provide any benefits if reported to the FBI or other intelligence community entity?

(1). Yes

(2). No

ANSWERS:

Answer - A:  Yes

Rationale - A:      You are not allowed to accept something of value from a foreign entity. In making the offer, the foreign government has determined that it has some value else there is no logic in offering it.

Answer - B:  No

Rationale - B:      Accepting the information is still something of value and thus an illegal contribution to a campaign which is against the law.

Answer - C:  4 and 3

Rationale - C:      Establishing that a foreign nation is attempting to intervene in our elections is critical to know about, simply rejecting the offer is not optimal strategy. Ans. 4 is the best option as long as you are not offered the information in a real time where you have to take it at the time of the offer. Ans. 3 is the fall-back option if you have to decide to physically receive the information at that moment. As soon as possible you then contact the FBI and provide whatever information you can about who, when, where, and what was provided.

Ans. 1 & 2 would be violations where you didn’t report the offer and information regardless of your views of the information.

Ans. 6 is just poor reasoning. You are protecting a foreign entity attempting to interfere in our elections, and trusting that they won’t continue to harm the nation.

Ans. 5 has already been identified as violating the law.

Answer - D:  Yes

Rationale - D:      By informing the FBI and abiding by the law.

Answer - E:  Yes

Rationale - E:      If you accept the information without informing the FBI then you have committed a crime. The foreign entity that offered you the info, now knows that you have broken the law.

Answer - F:  Yes

Rationale - F:      The law prohibits contributions from foreign entities, not just governments.

Answer - G:  Yes

Rationale - G:     This still constitutes foreign interference in our elections, and the offer establishes some ‘value’ that that entity is attempting to use to gain influence in our elections and more importantly over our political representatives.

Answer - H:  Yes

Rationale - H:      Foreign entities’ efforts to intervene in our democracy ought to be a concern of any American. If the foreign entity is attempting to assist the nation then their contact ought to be to a law enforcement, security and/or intelligence agency. When the offer is being made without the intention of having the ‘dirt’ being brought to the attention of a law enforcement, security or intelligence agency the offer is being made not to benefit the US.