Publisher’s Note: The #RussiaGate non-story is not “news” to our Vermont Independent readers. However, this report may come as a shock to CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the LA Times, and every other US imperial “news” source stoking the fires of the #Russiagate non-story for 2 years now. Senate Intelligence Committee chairman, Republican Richard Burr of North Carolina, stated unequivocally to NBC news this week: “There is no factual evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.” Cui Bono – who wins – from promoting #RussiaGate? 1) The US military-industrial complex – a new Cold War means a new Enemy to demonize and ratchet up Pentagon pork $$, 2) the US corporate commercial US “news” universe – anti-Trump/Putin click bait ratings are through the roof, 3) HRC and the Democratic Party – enjoying a convenient if temporary distraction from the corruption and sloe collapse of the Democratic Party as a viable alternative to the Republicans. 

Read the NBC story here.

Pull quotes:

1)After two years and 200 interviews, the Senate Intelligence Committee is approaching the end of its investigation into the 2016 election, having uncovered no direct evidence of a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia, according to both Democrats and Republicans on the committee.

2) “If we write a report based upon the facts that we have, then we don’t have anything that would suggest there was collusion by the Trump campaign and Russia,” said Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, in an interview with CBS News last week.

3) Burr was careful to note that more facts may yet be uncovered, but he also made clear that the investigation was nearing an end.

4) “We know we’re getting to the bottom of the barrel because there’re not new questions that we’re searching for answers to,” Burr said.

5) On Tuesday, Burr doubled down, telling NBC News, “There is no factual evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.”

And here’s independent US analyst Stephen Lendman for context:

The Russiagate witch hunt was and remains a diabolical scheme cooked up by Obama’s CIA director John Brennan – a figure as ruthless as fascist gangsters infesting the Trump regime.

The Big Lie that won’t die is kept alive by Russophobic establishment media, operating as imperial press agents.

NBC News must have swallowed hard before reporting that the “Senate Intelligence Committee is approaching the end of its investigation into the 2016 election, having uncovered no direct evidence of a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia, according to both Democrats and Republicans on the committee.” More on this below.

Months of Russiagate House and Senate probes begun in January 2017, along with special counsel Mueller’s investigation since May 2017 found no evidence of Russian collusion with Trump to help him triumph over Hillary.

Not a shred of evidence suggests Russian meddling in America’s electoral process or any others. If any existed, it would have been revealed long ago.

Continuing Russiagate probes are exercises in mass deception, including the reopened House investigation and special counsel Mueller’s witch hunt.

They’re all about wrongfully vilifying Russia and delegitimizing Trump for triumphing over media darling Hillary, the most ruthlessly dangerous presidential aspirant in US history – DLT proving no different as things turned out.

His deplorable record speaks for itself, disgracing the office he holds, escalating wars of aggression he inherited, maybe plotting new ones against Iran and Venezuela.

He’s going all-out to topple their legitimate governments, flagrantly violating international and US constitutional law, serving privileged interests exclusively, at the expense of most others everywhere – lying to Americans about his pure evil agenda.

Interviewed by CBS News last week, Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Richard Burr said “(i)f we write a report based upon the facts that we have, then we don’t have anything that would suggest there was collusion by the Trump campaign and Russia.”

He told NBC News that “(t)here is no factual evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.”

Ranking undemocratic Dem Senate Intelligence Committee member Mark Warner disagreed with Burr, saying:

“I’m not going to get into any conclusions I’ve reached because my basis of this has been that I’m not going to reach any conclusion until we finish the investigation. And we still have a number of the key witnesses to come back,” adding:

(T)here’s never been a campaign in American history…that people affiliated with the campaign had as many ties with Russia as the Trump campaign did.”

An unnamed Dem said “(w)e were never going to find a contract signed in blood saying, ‘Hey Vlad, we’re going to collude.’ ”

The above remarks aside, it’ll likely be months or longer before a final Senate report is prepared. Its Intelligence Committee reportedly conducted over 200 interviews, and reviewed countless thousands of documents for over two years.

No evidence of Trump team/Russia collusion was found by the House, Senate or Mueller – no evidence of Kremlin US election meddling. Yet the politicized witch hunt over nothing continues.

Dems hostile to Trump for political reasons, ignoring his imperial crimes, claim he and his associates had over 100 contacts with Russian nationals before DLT’s inauguration – no evidence suggesting illegal or improper conduct.

Mueller’s indictments of Paul Manafort, Rick Gates, Michael Cohen, Roger Stone, and others have nothing to do with his mandate, nothing connected to the phony allegation of possible Trump team/Russia collusion – no reason to continue a probe that never should have been initiated.

The Senate investigation and reopened House one may continue throughout the year, maybe through or beyond the 2020 federal elections.

There’s plenty to criticize Trump about, mostly policies Republicans and Dems support, ones inflicting enormous harm on countless millions of people at home and abroad.

Bipartisan supported high crimes will never be investigated, no one ever held accountable for what matters most.

The ongoing politicized witch hunt may continue as long as Trump remains in office – diverting attention from state terror and other US high crimes against humanity.