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Scott talks with Matt Taibbi about a new series of articles he published on the origins of Russiagate. Specifically, Taibbi has been working with journalists Michael Shellenberger and Alex Gutentag to report on the role of Western intelligence agencies in spying on Trump’s team and constructing the narrative that the former president was compromised by the Russian government.

Discussed on the show:

• “CIA Had Foreign Allies Spy On Trump Team, Triggering Russia Collusion Hoax, Sources Say” (Public)
• “Our Man in Cambridge” (Racket)
• “The press versus the president” (Columbia Journalism Review)
• Spooked: The Trump Dossier, Black Cube, and the Rise of Private Spies by Barry Meier 
• “Why Even Democrats Should Care About the ‘Cooked Intelligence’ Russiagate Scandal” (Racket)

Matt Taibbi is a journalist, author and political commentator. Subscribe to his Substack publication: Racket News and follow him on Twitter @mtaibbi.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Moon Does Artisan Coffee; Roberts and Robers Brokerage Incorporated; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; Libertas Bella; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott.

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Barbara Slavin, the Acting Director of the Future of Iran Initiative at the Atlantic Council in Washington, discusses the Iran nuclear deal’s successful first year in effect, as Iran has faithfully fulfilled its obligations to scale back and eliminate parts of its nuclear program, and the US, EU and UN have lifted some sanctions, allowing Iran’s economy to strengthen – although with many limitation still in effect.

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Gareth Porter, an independent investigative journalist and winner of the 2012 Gellhorn Prize for journalism, discusses President Obama’s proposed cooperation with Russia in a combined air campaign against the Al Qaeda affiliated Nusra Front jihadist forces in Syria – and the strong opposition to such a plan within Obama’s own national security bureaucracy.

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Jim Hale, the former media relations director for the Committee for the Liberation of Iraq, discusses why he had a complete change of heart about the righteousness of the pro-war neoconservative cause that lied us into the 2003 Iraq War, and his conversion to a libertarian non-interventionist foreign policy.

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William Hartung, director of the Arms and Security Project at the Center for International Policy, discusses why the Obama administration continues providing arms to Saudi Arabia even though they are used to commit war crimes in Yemen and do anything but “promote stability” in the Middle East – which is the myth propagated by Washington.

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Ray McGovern, a former CIA analyst and co-founder of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS), discusses his organization’s memo to German Chancellor Angela Merkel to tone down NATO’s belligerence on Russia’s borders to avoid escalating a new Cold War – and possibly a disastrous shooting war.

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Peter Van Buren, author of We Meant Well: How I Helped Lose the Battle for the Hearts and Minds of the Iraqi People, discusses FBI Director James Comey’s decision to not recommend charges against Hillary Clinton for mishandling classified materials on a personal email server while Secretary of State, and why this incredibly brazen decision – in light of Bill Clinton’s recent meeting with AG Loretta Lynch and Obama’s joint-campaign event with Hillary – amounts to a middle finger to Americans still believing in the rule of law and accountability in government.

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Joe Lauria, an independent journalist covering international affairs, discusses Europe’s efforts at de-escalating tensions with Russia to avoid a risk of armed conflict brought about by provocateurs in the US government and NATO; and why journalists have an uphill battle trying to convince Americans that Russia isn’t an aggressive juggernaut that must be confronted no matter the consequences.

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Zaid Jilani, a journalist and blogger from Atlanta, Georgia, discusses the hacked emails showing how retired USAF General Philip Breedlove (then supreme commander of NATO in Europe) plotted against President Obama’s reluctance to further escalate tensions with Russia during the 2014 regime change and war in Ukraine.

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