Thread by @dcpoll

In a covert effort to obtain Clinton emails, now-deceased GOP operative Peter Smith raised at least $100,000 from wealthy donors under the guise of a "Scholarship Fund for Russian students" – after US IC warned of Russia's election interference.
#Maddow on.wsj.com/2C08j9K

Peter Smith went to extraordinary lengths to ensure secrecy of his operation [to enlist Russian hackers to obtain Clinton emails], using a Gmail account named “Robert Tyler” that he and his associates communicated with by leaving notes for each other in the draft folder.
#Maddow

Financier Charles Ortel spoke with Peter Smith on the phone hours before his death re a new project and Smith had sounded excited, brainstorming about next steps. Ortel was stunned Smith had taken his life soon after, leaving a note which read: “NO FOUL PLAY WHATSOEVER.”
#Maddow

“The students are very pleased with the email releases they have seen," read one email from Smith's covert Gmail account. Another, re obtaining funds, came just days after WikiLeaks & DCLeaks began releasing emails damaging to Clinton’s campaign.
#Maddow

https://twitter.com/dcpoll/status/1048949500998340608

https://twitter.com/dcpoll/status/1028074438196121600

https://twitter.com/dcpoll/status/1028068256777678848

AUG 2018: Now-deceased GOP operative Peter Smith remains an important figure in the Mueller investigation. The FBI subpoenaed Northern Trust for Smith’s bank records last Dec to learn whether he paid anyone connected with the Russian government.
#Maddow

https://twitter.com/dcpoll/status/1028044258257842176

Peter Smith’s effort runs in parallel to the GRU's hacking & leaking efforts. Both involve obtaining emails, but Smith was focused on the 33,000 emails deleted from Clinton’s personal server – like Trump, who begged for Russia's help re the same.
#Maddow

https://twitter.com/dcpoll/status/1028116716872769538

Wouldn’t it be odd if a group of Russians had conspired to steal Clinton campaign emails & dump them into the 2016 campaign whilst a group of Americans had conspired to obtain Clinton's 33,000 emails from Russian hackers to help Trump, and the 2 groups had never met? YES.
#Maddow

"The operation Peter Smith described is consistent with information examined by Russia probe investigators...intel agency reports describe Russian hackers discussing how to obtain Clinton's emails & transmit them to Mike Flynn via an intermediary."
#Maddow

https://twitter.com/dcpoll/status/901269597248159745

“Robert Tyler” email account
To: Smith
From: ROB
Date: Oct 11, 2016
Subject: Wire Instructions–Clinton Email Reconnaissance Initiative
“This 100K plus your 50K will allow us to fund the Scholarship Fund for Russian students for the promised $150K.”
#Maddow

https://twitter.com/dcpoll/status/1048966693345775617

Who is ROB from the Oct 11 email to Smith? Royal O’Brien, a Jacksonville-based programmer Smith described as a dark web expert. Also copied on the email was Dickinson, then business partner of alt-right activist Chuck Johnson.
HT @lrozen @maddezmom #Maddow

https://twitter.com/lrozen/status/1048948311858798592

From Jul 2017: Royal O’Brien [ROB] confirmed that Peter Smith sought his advice on obtaining Clinton’s deleted emails. Dickinson, then-business partner of alt-right activist Chuck Johnson said he too participated in Smith’s efforts.
#Maddow politi.co/2KOYtbC

UPDATE: Royal O’Brien claims he is not "ROB," who sent the Oct 11, 2016 email to Peter Smith re the $150K payment for the "Clinton Email Reconnaissance Initiative."

https://twitter.com/lrozen/status/1049019720224182272

https://twitter.com/rgoodlaw/status/1049009436944211968

“I came away from that conversation saying this is great. We’re going to make progress,” said Ortel, who was stunned to learn Smith died shortly after their conversation.

@rgoodlaw: Todays WSJ SCOOP raises specter Smith was killed, not suicide.
#Maddow

https://twitter.com/dcpoll/status/1048970881349951488