The Post is reporting that House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) asserted/joked back in June 2016 that Vladimir Putin had paid Trump.
Flash back to May 17, 2016: Republicans KNEW
US Intelligence Committees shared info with McCarthy and Ryan. Later, we would learn from the FBI, the DNC server(s) was hacked by Russians in Sept. 2015.
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said in June 2016 that he thought Vladimir Putin had paid then-GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump.
The problem is that even sarcasm is almost always laced with truth. And when it came to Trump colluding with Russia, June 2016 was early even for sarcasm.
“I’ll guarantee you that’s what it is. … The Russians hacked the DNC and got the opp [opposition] research that they had on Trump,” McCarthy said with a laugh.
Ryan asked who the Russians “delivered” the opposition research to.
“There’s … there’s two people, I think, Putin pays: Rohrabacher and Trump,” McCarthy said, drawing some laughter. “Swear to God,” McCarthy added.
Then Paul Ryan shut it down
“This is an off the record,” Ryan said.
Some lawmakers laughed at that.
“No leaks, all right?” Ryan said, adding: “This is how we know we’re a real family here.”
“That’s how you know that we’re tight,” Steve Scalise said.
“What’s said in the family stays in the family,” Ryan added.
Here’s why the comments from McCarthy, Ryan and other Republicans are relevant. One month later, on June 14, 2016, "Russian government hackers penetrated DNC“
At the time, U.S. intelligence agencies knew that the Russians had hacked the DNC and other institutions, but Moscow had yet to start publicly releasing damaging emails through WikiLeaks to undermine Trump’s Democratic challenger, Hillary Clinton. An FBI counterintelligence investigation into Russian efforts to influence the presidential election would open the following month, in late July, [FBI Director James B.] Comey has said in testimony to Congress.
Members of US House Intelligence Committee
Republican Devin Nunes, Chairman, 22nd District of California
Republican Trey Gowdy, 4th District of South Carolina
Republican Mike Conaway, 11th District of Texas
Republican Peter King, 2nd District of New York
Republican Frank LoBiondo, 2nd District of New Jersey
Republican Tom Rooney, 17th District of Florida
Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, 27th District of Florida
Republican Michael Turner, 10th District of Ohio
Republican Brad Wenstrup, 2nd District of Ohio
Republican Chris Stewart, 2nd District of Utah
Republican Rick Crawford, 1st District of Arkansas
Republican Elise Stefanik, 21st District of New York
Republican Will Hurd, 23rd District of Texas
Treasonous Republicans #VoteThemOUT