Six Key Developments Today On Trump, WikiLeaks, And Russia

Hillary for America Senior Policy Advisor Jake Sullivan released the following statement today after news reports by Esquire and Motherboard confirmed for the first time publicly that Russia is behind the hack of John Podesta’s emails. Also, according to Esquire, Guccifer told journalists that he gave the DNC emails to WikiLeaks:

“The new public data confirming the Russians are behind the hack of John Podesta’s email is a big deal. There is no longer any doubt that Putin is trying to help Donald Trump by weaponizing WikiLeaks. Despite all the evidence, including the conclusions of the US intelligence community, Donald Trump went on the debate stage and acted as Putin’s puppet, defending Russia and refusing to admit and condemn the Kremlin’s actions. This behavior has gone from bizarre to disqualifying. In light of his associate’s admitted ‘back-channeling’ with Assange, and Trump’s own undisclosed business ties with Russia, it’s time for Trump to tell the American people what he knew about these hacks and when he knew it.”

According to Esquire:

“In the weeks that followed, Guccifer offered interviews and batches of documents to several journalists, but he wrote that “the main part of the papers, thousands of files and mails, I gave to WikiLeaks.”

“So far U. S. investigators have not said publicly who was responsible for the Podesta hack, but the data harvested by SecureWorks makes it clear that Fancy Bear broke into the Clinton chairman’s account as early as late March. The CIA briefed Trump about the origin of the kompromat, but he continued to cite the material, telling a Pennsylvania crowd, “I love WikiLeaks!”

According to Motherboard:

Months later, on October 9, WikiLeaks began publishing thousands of Podesta’s hacked emails. Almost everyone immediately pointed the finger at Russia, who is suspected of being behind a long and sophisticated hacking campaign that has the apparent goal of influencing the upcoming US elections. But there was no public evidence proving the same group that targeted the Democratic National Committee was behind the hack on Podesta—until now.

The data linking a group of Russian hackers—known as Fancy Bear, APT28, or Sofacy—to the hack on Podesta is also yet another piece in a growing heap of evidence pointing toward the Kremlin. And it also shows a clear thread between apparently separate and independent leaks that have appeared on a website called DC Leaks, such as that of Colin Powell’s emails; and the Podesta leak, which was publicized on WikiLeaks.

Six Key Developments Today On Trump, WikiLeaks, And Russia

1. Esquire published a deep dive on the full extent of Russia’s unprecedented hacking campaign to influence the U.S. election, including new details about the operation.

2. Motherboard confirmed that government-backed Russian hackers were behind the cyberattack on John Podesta’s emails, publicly detailing new, undeniable evidence.

3. Politico documented Trump’s haunting propensity for defending Putin’s crimes. Beyond the cyberattacks, Trump defended Putin in the killing of journalists, the assassination of a former Russian spy, and the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17.

4. Dallas Morning News reported that Trump had been personally briefed by House Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul that Russia was behind these cyberattacks before he debate, in which he again denied their culpability.

5. Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway said on MSNBC this morning that she was completely comfortable with the campaign exploiting documents that were stolen by Russian agents.

6. Former director of the NSA and CIA, Michael Hayden, told NBC News: “[Trump] reject[ed] a high confidence judgment from the American intelligence community that the Russians are breaking in to DNC emails. That’s troubling on two counts. First, what will it take for him to criticize Russia? And second, here is a man who would be president, rejecting an intelligence judgment because it is politically inconvenient.”

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

Clinton, Trump Clash on Policy at Final Debate

On Wednesday night, presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump faced off for their final debate before the election on November 8th. The debate was moderated by Fox News’ Chris Wallace, who did a pretty good job of keeping the candidates on topic. The topics covered at the debate included debt, entitlements, immigration, the economy, the Supreme Court, foreign hot spots, and “fitness to be president.” While each candidate took shots at each other, Clinton outlined a number of her proposals. Each candidate wrapped up the final debate with a one-minute closing statement. Clinton asked for America’s vote saying:

“Well, I would like to say to everyone watching tonight that I’m reaching out to all Americans — Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. Because we need everybody to help make our country what it should be. To grow the economy, to make it fairer, to make it work for everyone. We need your talents, your skills, your commitment, your energy, your ambition. You know, I’ve been privileged to see the presidency up close and I know the awesome responsibility of protecting our country and the incredible opportunity of working to try to make life better for all of you. I have made the cause of children and families really my life’s work — that’s what my mission will be in the presidency. I will stand up for families against powerful interests, against corporations. I will do everything I can to make sure you have good jobs with rising incomes, that your kids have good educations from preschool through college. I hope you will give me a chance to serve as your president.”

While pundits will argue who won and who lost last night’s debate, what is important is who you feel will best represent you. This political cycle has become more about personality and less about the issues at stake. Both candidates have outlined a series of policies they believe are important to them and that says a lot about their beliefs. What is key is that on November 8, you have a choice. You have a voice at the ballot box and make sure it is heard. Vote.

Watch a video replay of the debate below. And more importantly, VOTE on November 8th.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: The New York Times, The Washington Post, NBC News, CBS News, Fox News, CNN, Las Vegas Sun, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, USA Today, ABC News, PBS, The Washington Post, Politico, Los Angeles Times, The Atlantic, Romper

Hillary’s Plan: Debt and Entitlements

Clinton Will Fight For Medicare & Social Security, Pay For Her Plans; Trump Will Risk These Programs & Add Trillions To Debt

Tonight, voters will hear from Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump on six topics of national importance: debt and entitlements, immigration, economy, the Supreme Court, foreign policy, and the fitness of the candidates to serve as president.

Clinton has stood up for Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid her entire career, and she will not stop now.  She will ensure the wealthy, Wall Street, and big corporations pay their fair share, invest in middle-class families, and defend and expand Medicare and Social Security.  Furthermore, her new plans are paid for, so they will not add to the national debt.

Conversely, Trump’s plans will add $21 trillion to the national debt over 20 years and give reckless tax cuts to the wealthy instead of investing in Medicare and Social Security for generations to come.

Hillary’s vision on fiscal matters is clear. As she has said before, “We know what sound fiscal policy looks like and it sure isn’t running up massive debts to pay for giveaways to the rich. And it is not painful austerity that hurts working families and undercuts our long-term progress. It’s being strong, stable, and making smart investments in our future. So let’s set the right priorities and pay for them, so we can hand our children a healthier economy and a better future.”

Hillary has put forward credible plans to pay for her proposals without adding to the national debt.  As president, Hillary will:

• Continue to put forth plans that add up, are paid for, and will not add to the national debt. As the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget said recently, “We are encouraged that Clinton continues to largely pay for her new spending…”
• Restore fairness to the tax code and make sure the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share. The independent, non-partisan Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center found that around 2/3rds of the revenue from Hillary’s tax plan came from the top 0.1%, earning more than $3.7 million per year.
• NYT: “Mrs. Clinton would substantially raise taxes on high-income taxpayers, mostly on the top 1 percent; … reduce taxes on average for middle- and low-income households; and overhaul corporate taxes. Her plan would increase federal revenue $1.4 trillion over the first decade….Mrs. Clinton would use the money to pay for education and other initiatives.”
• Hillary has a responsible, progressive fiscal vision. Progressive policies such as investing in growth and the middle class, and asking the wealthy to pay their fair share – not trillions of dollars in tax cuts for the wealthy, have been successful. For example, President Bill Clinton took a $300 billion deficit in the year before he took office and turned it into a $200 billion surplus.

Hillary believes seniors have paid into Social Security for a lifetime, and they’ve earned these benefits when they retire. Social Security isn’t just a program—it’s a promise.  As president, Hillary will:

• Defend Social Security against Republican attacks and attempts to privatize the program – and refuse to embrace proposals to raise the retirement age or reduce cost-of-living adjustments
• Expand Social Security for those who need it most and who are treated unfairly by the current system—including women who are widows and those who took significant time out of the paid workforce to take care of their children, aging parents, or ailing family members.
• Preserve Social Security for decades to come by asking the wealthiest to contribute more.

Hillary believes Medicare and Medicaid are the bedrock of health care coverage for more than 50 million Americans, from seniors to people with disabilities.  As president, Hillary will:

• Fight to preserve Medicare benefits for Americans – and stand strongly against Republican attempts to “phase out” or privatize Medicare.
• Require drug manufacturers to provide rebates for low-income Medicare enrollees that are equivalent to rebates in the Medicaid program through her prescription drug plan.
• Reduce the cost of prescription drugs for seniors by allowing Medicare to use its leverage with more than 40 million enrollees to negotiate drug and biologic prices.
• Tackle rising medical costs by expanding value-based delivery system reform in Medicare.
• Help protect consumers from unjustified price hikes for long-available drugs.
• Ensure we expand Medicaid in the states where Republican governors and legislatures have refused to do so.

Donald Trump may have abused the tax system to avoid paying taxes into Social Security and Medicare – Hillary Clinton would help end this practice. Based on what we do know about Donald Trump’s tax returns, independent experts at the Tax Policy Center believe that Trump may have avoided paying his fair share in taxes into Social Security and Medicare by abusively taking advantage of the so-called “Gingrich-Edwards” loophole. This loophole allows some high-income business people to funnel their wages through a business.  While the law still requires these business owners to pay payroll taxes on a reasonable portion of compensation, Trump may have flouted this legal requirement and avoided paying his fair share in payroll taxes that support programs like Social Security and Medicare. Earlier this year, Hillary Clinton embraced a proposal from President Obama’s budget that would end such abuses and crack down on tax gaming by high-income individuals through shifting business income, including addressing the so-called “Gingrich-Edwards” loophole.

Donald Trump’s tax plan would increase the debt by $21 trillion over 20 years to give tax cuts to the rich, and he has recklessly considered defaulting on the national debt.

• Trump infamously called himself the “king of debt” and has proposed a tax plan that would increase our national debt by 21 trillion over 20 years – with more than half of the benefits going to the top 1%.
• Trump displayed his willingness to play Russian roulette with the full faith and credit of the U.S., suggesting recently that “you could make the case” for defaulting on the debt, or maybe we could just “make a deal.” Defaulting on our debt would undermine more than 200 years of confidence in the American economy, and could cause a global financial crisis.

Paying for Donald Trump’s tax cuts for the rich could require cutting Medicare and Social Security by trillions:

• As an analysis by CAP Action explains, “Trump says his agenda ‘will be completely paid-for,’ but paying for his tax plan would require cutting federal spending by an average of approximately 13.5 percent. In the next 10 years, an across-the-board cut of 13.5 percent would mean cutting Social Security by $1.7 trillion and cutting Medicare by $1.1 trillion.”

Trump is willing to jeopardize Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, which he once called a Ponzi scheme.

• Trump said “it’s possible” to replace Medicare.
• Trump wrote in his book that he would privatize Social Security and raise the retirement age, calling the program a Ponzi scheme.
• Trump’s campaign adviser suggested Trump would be open to looking at program changes to Social Security and Medicare.
• Trump’s running mate, Mike Pence, wanted to privatize Social Security faster and further than George W. Bush, and supported privatization in Medicare long before the Ryan Budget tried to voucherize it (which Pence also supported).

Trump’s plan to block grant Medicaid could cause millions of low-income adults and people with disabilities to lose or see lower benefits.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

Hillary’s Plan: Foreign Policy

Hillary Clinton’s Strong, Steady Approach to Global Challenges vs. Trump’s Dangerously Unserious Approach

The fifth topic on deck for this evening’s debate will address global challenges. Hillary Clinton’s steady leadership has made America stronger and safer on the world stage. As First Lady, Senator, and Secretary of State, she has worked tirelessly to keep Americans safe and stay true to our values.  Conversely, Donald Trump’s dangerous national security proposals, lack of understanding of geopolitical realities, and reckless foreign policy rhetoric have been apparent throughout the campaign.

Hillary Clinton has laid out a comprehensive plan to defeat ISIS and keep Americans safe at home.  She understands that it’s not enough just to take out specific groups or leaders – we must have a comprehensive strategy to win the long game against the global terrorist network and its ideology. Former military leaders and top national security officials agree: Hillary is the right choice.

As president, Hillary will:

• Protect our homeland, including by surging our intelligence to ensure law enforcement has the information they need to detect and disrupt plots.
• Work with Silicon Valley to shut down terrorist propaganda and disrupt their recruitment efforts online.
• Keep guns out of the hands of suspected terrorists.
• Work with our allies to dismantle the global network that supplies money, arms, propaganda and fighters to the terrorists.
• Choke off the networks that facilitate their growth and expansion.
• Focus on eliminating the leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
• Take out ISIS’s strongholds in the Middle East by intensifying the coalition air campaign, supporting our partners on the ground, and pursuing diplomacy to end Syria’s civil war and close Iraq’s sectarian divide, because those conflicts are keeping ISIS alive.
• Stand with our allies, rather than abandoning them.

Despite Trump’s claims that he has a “secret” plan to defeat ISIS, he has no real plan at all. And his rhetoric is dangerously playing into terrorists’ hands.

As president, Trump will:

• Watch “the shows” for military advice.
• Consult himself on foreign policy because, according to Trump, he has “a very good brain.”
• Allow new countries like Japan, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea to obtain nuclear weapons.
• Complement and prop up dictators like Vladimir Putinand Kim Jong-Un.
• “Ask [his] generals” for a plan to defeat ISIS, since he doesn’t currently have any plan at all.
• Continue to promote Russia’s brutal bombing campaign in Syria that is targeting civilians and the moderate opposition instead of ISIS.
• Allow Syria to become a “free zone for ISIS.”
• Ban Muslims from entering the U.S., a policy that feeds radical jihadist propaganda.

Engage in torture in the fight against ISIS and kill the families of terrorists.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

Hillary’s Plan: The Economy

Under Clinton, Economy is “Stronger Together.”  Under Trump, Economy is “Billionaires First.”

Hillary Clinton believes our economy is stronger when we grow together. She’s put forward a comprehensive agenda to build an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top — fighting for the largest investment in good-paying jobs since World War II, debt-free college, profit-sharing, tax fairness, and family-friendly policies like paid leave. Donald Trump, on the other hand, has put forward an agenda that showers billionaires and millionaires like himself with trillions in tax breaks and new loopholes, recklessly exploding the deficit while actually raising taxes on millions of middle-class families.

When John McCain’s former economic advisor studied the two plans, he actually calculated that under Hillary’s plans the economy would create 10.4 million jobs in her first term alone—while Trump’s plans would result in a “lengthy recession” and a loss of 3.4 million jobs.

*Trump has outsourced his products to at least 12 countries and routinely picks Chinese steel over U.S. manufacturers.

Hillary Clinton believes we need to build an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top.  As president, Clinton will:

• Break through Washington gridlock to make the boldest investment in good-paying jobs since World War II
• Make debt-free college available to all Americans
• Rewrite the rules to ensure that workers share in the profits they help create
• Ensure that those at the top pay their fair share
• Put families first by matching our policies to how families live, learn, and work in the 21st century economy

Trump’s reckless agenda would shower billionaires and millionaires like himself with trillions in tax breaks and new loopholes, recklessly exploding the deficit while actually raising taxes on millions of middle-class families. Trump will:

• Enact a massive backdoor tax cut for billionaires and millionaires like himself, also known as “The Trump Loophole.”
• Widen the “carried interest” loophole by slashing tax rates on partnerships, including hedge funds and private equity firms.
• Get rid of the Wall Street reforms enacted after the recent crash, removing protections for consumers.
• Eliminate the estate tax, resulting in a $4 billion tax cut for his family alone — while giving 99.8% of Americans nothing.
• Actually raising taxes on millions of middle-class families.

Run up the national debt by nearly $21 trillion over 20 years.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

Senator Sanders, Chelsea Clinton Campaign in the West

Senator Bernie Sanders campaigned on behalf of Hillary Clinton and local Democrats today in Reno, Nevada. During his speech, Sanders spoke about the importance of electing Clinton and rejecting the divisive rhetoric of Republican Donald Trump. He also spoke about the importance of voting local Democrats into office, especially the United States House and Senate. Sanders went after Trump on several occasions saying, “If we are going to take our country forward in a way that I think all of us know that we have to go, it is absolutely imperative that Donald Trump does not become president of the United States. I think that it is fair to say that based on character, based on policy there has never been in the modern history of this country or maybe the entire history of this country, a candidate less deserving of being elected than Donald Trump.” A video from the event will be posted when/if available.

In Tempe, Arizona, Chelsea Clinton campaigned on behalf of her mother on the campus of Arizona State University. She outlined Hillary’s experience working with foreign leaders and her history of bipartisanship as a Senator and Secretary of State. Chelsea spoke of the importance of compromise and rejected Trump’s vision of America saying, “There can be no common ground with bigotry. But we have to compromise where we can. I think we need that type of leadership.” She concluded by talking about the importance of voting on November 8th citing the close polls between Hillary and Trump in the typically Republican stronghold of Arizona. Watch a video of Chelsea’s speech below.

Meanwhile, two debate night fundraisers were held on behalf of Hillary for America. The first was in New York City and featured former Mayor David N. Dinkins and Olympic figure skater Michelle Kwan. The second event was held in Newton, Massachusetts and was hosted by the Jewish Community for Hillary.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: Reno Gazette Journal, Daily Mail

How to Watch: The Final Presidential Debate

Tonight, presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will face off in the final debate before the election on November 8th. Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada, the third debate will be moderated by Fox News’s Chris Wallace and will focus on debt, entitlements, immigration, the economy, the Supreme Court, foreign hot spots, and “fitness to be president.” The debate will begin at 9 pm ET and will be available live on most major television networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, Fox, MSNBC, Fox News, CNBC, CNN, Univision, Telemundo, C-SPAN). There will also be a number of live stream options including CBSN, YouTube, Twitter, and the Wall Street Journal. A live stream of the debate is available below.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: Vox

With Her Podcast: Episode 6: Maya Harris

On the sixth installment of the With Her podcast, host Max Linsky sat down with Hillary for America Senior Policy Advisor Maya Harris. The two discuss working for Hillary Clinton and the challenges associated with creating policies for a knowledgeable policy wonk. She discussed her approach to creating detailed policies. Harris also talks about her life and how growing up in the civil rights movement influenced her. You can listed to the episodes HERE or subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes or your favorite Podcast app.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: Hillary for America

Hillary Clinton Endorsed by More Local Newspapers

This weekend, Hillary Clinton received the endorsement of four major prominent newspapers from across the country. The first was Nebraska’s Omaha World-Herald, the first time the paper has endorsed a Democrat since President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932. The paper’s editorial board says that while Clinton has political faults, she is by far more qualified than Republican Donald Trump. The board concludes, “Clinton’s legislative experience and decades of political involvement — as first lady of Arkansas, first lady of the United States, U.S. senator from New York, secretary of state and two-time presidential candidate — make her the better prepared of the two major candidates for the office of president of the United States.” Read the full endorsement HERE.

The Wisconsin State Journal also published their endorsement of Clinton concluding that the country cannot risk a Trump presidency. The paper’s board said, “Trump’s scandal-a-day campaign has shown he would distract, isolate and embarrass our nation. The world doesn’t need a United States in retreat, nor a stark reset of America’s politics and international posture. The world needs a U.S. president who can actually lead. Clinton is that leader, and the world needs America to get this right.” Read the full article HERE.

Clinton has also earned the endorsement of the New Orleans newspaper The Times-Picayune. The paper’s editorial board says that Clinton is the better choice for New Orleans and Louisiana saying, “As for which candidate is better for Louisiana, there is no contest. Mrs. Clinton is committed to investments in infrastructure, including ports, that would benefit our state. She also wants to offer preschool to every 4-year-old, something that fits Louisiana’s goal of expanding and improving the quality of early childhood education. But for New Orleanians, perhaps the most compelling contrast between Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton is his intolerance and her inclusiveness. New Orleans has diversity in its DNA. A president who routinely degrades African-Americans, Hispanics, Muslims and women could not, and would not, represent us.” Click HERE to read the full endorsement.

In Iowa, The Des Moines Register’s editorial board asked what message Americas wanted to send to a ever interested global community. Do we want to pick the candidate that has run a divisive campaign or one that still believes in the promise of America? The board believes it is important that the American citizens elect a leader that represents our values, and for them that is Clinton. They conclude, “On Election Day, all of us share the privilege and responsibility of protecting the principles on which this country was founded and for which so many others have died: justice, liberty, equality and opportunity for all. In this particular election, only one of the two major-party candidates stands prepared to honor America and uphold its highest ideals. The Des Moines Register endorses Hillary Clinton for president.” Read the full editorial HERE.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: Omaha World-Herald, Wisconsin State Journal, The Times-Picayune, The Des Moines Register

HFA Statement on Putin’s Comments on U.S. Election

Hillary for America Senior Policy Adviser Jake Sullivan released the following statement today in reaction to Vladimir Putin’s new comments on the U.S. election:

“Vladimir Putin just confirmed that Donald Trump is carrying Russia’s water with his pro-Putin wish list of policies, and the only question left is whether he will follow through for the Kremlin. Putin is trying to put his thumb on the scale through cyber-attacks aimed at influencing the election because he knows that Hillary Clinton will stand up to him.

“It is baffling that his campaign finds cyberattacks on America ‘refreshing’ and ‘diligent’ while continuing to coddle Russia and its leader. Given the alarming set of facts, it’s time for Donald Trump to condemn this modern day Watergate and disclose all of his campaign’s connections to Russia and WikiLeaks.”

Hillary for America released a Medium post yesterday on the Russian hack that Donald Trump refuses to admit or condemn laying out an important question that voters deserve to know – “What did Trump know, and when did he know it?” Read it here.

The campaign also released a new video cataloguing Trump’s disturbing connections to Russia and why they are so concerning. Watch it here.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.