from the Official Report...just a sampling of the connections between Russia and the Trump campaign...
--------------------------
Paul Manafort ,
(U) Paul Manafort's connections to Russia and Ukraine began in approximately late 2004 with the start of his work for Oleg Deripaska and other Russia-aligned oligarchs in Ukraine. The Committee found that Deripaska conducts influence operations, frequently in countries where he has a significant economic interest. The Russian government coordinates with and directs Deripaska on many of his influence operations.
(U) From approximately 2004 to 2009, Manafort implemented these influence operations on behalf ofDeripaska, including a broad, multi-million dollar political influence campaign directed at numerous countries ofinterestto Deripaska and the Russian government. Pro- Russian Ukrainian oligarchs with deep economic ties to Russia also paid Manafort tens of millions o f dollars and formed strong ties with Manafort independent o f Deripaska.
(U) Manafort hired and worked increasingly closely with a Russian national, Konstantin Kilimnik. Kilimnik is a Russian intelligence officer. Kilimnik became an integral part of Manafort's operations in Ukraine and Russia, serving as Manafort's primary liaison to Deripaska and eventually managing Manafort's office in Kyiv. Kilimnik and Manafort formed a close and lasting relationship that endured to the 2016 U.S. elections. and beyond.
(U) Prior to joining the Trump Campaign in March 2016 and continuing throughout his time 6n the Campaign, Manafort directly and indirectly communicated with Kilimnik, Deripaska, and the pro-Russian oligarchs in Ukraine. On numerous occasions, Manafort sought to secretly share internal Campaign information with Kilimnik. The Committee was unable to reliably determine why Manafort shared sensitive internal polling data or Campaign strategy with Kilimnik or with whom Kilimnik further shared that information. The Committee had limited insight into Kilimnik's communications with Manafort and into Kilimnik's communications with other individuals connected to Russian influence operations, all o f whom used communications security practices. The Committee obtained some information suggesting Kilimnik may have been connected to the GRU's hack and leak operation targeting the 2016 U.S. election.
Beginning while he was Campaign chairman and continuing until sed with Kilimnik a eace lan for eastern Ukraine that
After the election, Manafort continued to coordinate with Russian persons, particularly Kilimnik and other individuals close to Deripaska, in an effort to
undertake activities on their behalf. Manafort worked with Kilimnik starting in 2016 on narratives that sou ht to undermine evidence that Russia interfered in .the 2016 U.S. election.
______________
Hillary Clinton, et al, were wise enough to see what was going on between Russia and the Trump campaign...obviously their suspicions were borne out.
Either Baron is a gullible dupe...or he truly sides with Russia vs. the U.S.
Link: https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/documents/report_volume5.pdf