Slate Journalist Sent Draft Of Story To Fusion GPS About Possible Link Between Trump, Russian Bank: Indictment
Journalist Franklin Foer appeared to admit Friday he was the journalist mentioned in a federal grand jury indictment who sent 2,500 words of his story to Fusion GPS the day before it was published.
The research firm hired by the Hillary Clinton campaign to investigate then-candidate
Donald Trump wrote him it was "time to hurry" on the story for left-wing outlet Slate linking the Trump Organization and a Russian bank days before the 2016 election, according to the indictment of Democratic lawyer Michael Sussmann.
Foer was pressured by Fusion GPS, referred to as "U.S. Investigative Firm," to "hurry" on his story about the possible back
channel between Trump and the bank, according to the indictment, referring to him as "Reporter-2."
The Atlantic staff writer Franklin Foer appears to be "Reporter-2." (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images) (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
"The Investigative Firm Employee’s email stated, ‘time to hurry’ suggesting that Reporter-2 should hurry to publish an article regarding the Russian Bank-1 allegations. In response, Reporter-2 emailed to the Investigative Firm Employee a draft article regarding the Russian Bank-1 allegations, along with the cover message: ‘Here’s the first 2500 words,’" the indictment stated.
The indictment then notes Reporter-2
published an article regarding the allegations "on or about the following day, October, 31, 2016."
On Oct. 31, 2016, Slate
published a piece written by Foer headlined, "Was a Trump Server Communicating With Russia?" The Clinton campaign hyped the story that day, with policy adviser Jake Sullivan – now President Biden's national security adviser – calling the "secret hotline" perhaps "the key to unlocking the mystery of Trump's ties to Russia."
Slate journalist sent draft of story to Fusion GPS about possible link between Trump, Russian bank: Indictment