Jeanne and Avalon, I too have been feeling the Russian network is vast and has been in place for quite some time and Snowden keeps popping up in my mind. Like when you've lost a tooth and your tongue keeps going to the hole. My brain keeps looking for a connection. I feel it is there.
Jeanne,
Your post reminds me of a meeting I sat in on while I was still working for a large multi-national corporation on computer network security. The bottom line of the meeting was that Chinese intelligence has people conducting industrial espionage in every business sector that interests them. They do this through a large network of IT people who are recruited after they already have positions in various companies. This is possible because of our nation's reliance on foreign IT help because it is cheaper. China is not the only country with a lot of HB1 visas in the IT world - so does Russia.
Melissa,
Thanks for your post. Ex-Military and Intelligence in the twitter community has been buzzing about Snowden being connected to all of this through Putin for months. I believe you are right on target!
Yes, It was confirmed to me that Snowden is working for Putin/Russian Gov -- I think I posted about this earlier.
Regarding the 81 year old GOP operative who died nine days after exposing Trump team members about seeking email hacks from the Russians. I had been concerned that his death was suspiciously close to the WSJ interview, even if he was 81 years old. Well it turns out his death was not from natural causes. He died by inhaling helium with a plastic bag over his head. It was ruled a suicide. The WSJ reporters believe it was a suicide, not a murder. He left a note saying he had been ill and his life insurance was about to run out. But it is odd.
Wow, Kathy, I some how missed that. Now it makes sense to me that it will take 8 years to fix. This problem is very deep.....
The police say they believe it was a suicide in the case of the Republican operative who had interviewed with the WP. However, I am suspicious. First, he had a letter saying there was no foul play, second he said he was concerned his insurance was ending. He was 81. He has Medicare (for health insurance) and irt life insurance-- it does not pay if someone commits suicide (or only a very small amount after a very long time). And what 81 year old does not have some health problems? If you remember, soon after the Steele Dossier became public knowledge, there was a large number of Russian intelligence agents who died as well and Steele went in to hiding. I also think the mask with the helium is a very odd way for a man to commit suicide in this country. He would have had help. Most men in this country, when faced with such a desperate act use a gun or a rope.
Kathy,
I have been thinking the same thing about a life insurance policy not paying out for suicide. It just doesn't make sense. Other excellent points as well.
Extremely odd, Jeanne. Two tanks of helium in the room was reported by one witness, and while helium acts as another way to displace oxygen supply in bag it doesn't hasten or cause death ..the bag did that job. A quick search on helium showed party balloon tank weighs 25 lbs. fills 27 Mylar large sized balloons . Why 2 if 1 doesnt hasten death and picturing this 81 year old carrying them to his 4th floor family medical care respite hotel is weird, too.
Even weirder, wrist and leg bands used in exercising draped over the tanks. So, is that supposed to mean he lifted them as weights before he connected the tubing to some kind of mask inside the plastic bag? They found his helium receipt from Walmart but it was never checked on to see if security video in either store or hotel showed him with tanks.
Just weird and while self strangulation is not unusual in suicide, using helium is. If he staged it....why these strange details, maybe there's a message to this madness or maybe weird is our new normal.
All the Russian connection deaths are weird but to call suicide ..dying of natural causes.. is strange in itself!
Life insurance can cover suicide if the death occurs after two years from the onset of the policy. It's a standard suicide clause.
Given that people who have provided information about the Russia-Trump arrangement have already died (people connected to the UK spy Christopher Steele's report that he shared with the FBI and Mother Jones Magazine) -- we know that this scandal has brought death to people who talk.
In all, there is not enough factual evidence to be sure it was truly a suicide. There are no health records available. The insurance policy is not available. A photo of him buying the helium is not available. If he did have a serious health condition, my read is that it might have been congestive heart failure which is fatal, but takes months to unfold.
I did pick up that he had loved ones, particularly a daughter or wife he he wanted to provide for. So that's a point for wanting the life insurance.