Epstein Secrets

A display of supremacy In December 2011, members of the Russian opposition obtained video evidence of ballot stuffing committed by operatives from Vladimir Putin's United Russia party in that month's parliamentary elections. A series of unusu- ally large protests ensued. Putin weathered the furor and went on t

n authoritarians. Again, Russia has taken the lead, with the state's asser- tion of authority over history textbooks and the process, encouraged by Putin, of reassessing the historical role of Joseph Stalin. • The hiring of political consultants and lobbyists from democratic countries to represent t

hinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing. 2016. Lintao Zhang/Getty Images

ashington Influence Game," Millington PosL September 2 2015, 17. Lachlan Markay 'State-Owned Venezuelan Oil Firm Spends Millions on U.S. Lobbying,' Washington Free Beacon, June 6, 2016, 18. Ben Schreckinger and lulia loffe, 'Lobbyist Advised Trump Campaign While Promoting Russian Pipeline,' Politico, October 7, 2016,

,” according to the State Depart- ment’s senior watch officer. 142 had met nearly every day: Miller, “U.S. Officials Scrambled to Nab Snowden.” 142 Putin admitted: Interview, Channel One, http://en-kremlin.ru/events/president /news/19143. 143 “Vladimir Putin had personally approved”: Jennifer Martine

er, “U.S. Officials Scrambled to Nab Snowden.” 142 Putin admitted: Interview, Channel One, http://en-kremlin.ru/events/president /news/19143. 143 “Vladimir Putin had personally approved”: Jennifer Martinez, “Report: Snow- den’s US Passport Revoked,” Hill, June 23, 2013. CHAPTER 15 Did Snowden Act Alone? 146

n-kremlin.ru/events/president /news/19143. 143 “Vladimir Putin had personally approved”: Jennifer Martinez

Is Getting Old,” NPR, March 16, 2016. 294 “Have I lost capability”: Bill Gertz, “NSA Director: Snowden’s Leaks Helped @ Terrorists Avoid Tracking,” Washington Free Beacon, Feb. 24, 2015. @ EPILOGUE The Snowden Effect 295 “Governments can reduce our dignity”: Edward Snowden, “Governments Can Reduce Our Dignity to That

appreciated. Lugovoy was elected to the Duma in 2008, and also hosted a 24 part television series espionage for which he was personally decorated by Putin. He was also now reputed to be in the inner circle of power in Moscow. So I called him. We arranged to meet in the lobby bar of the National Hotel.

..”—Author’s interview with Source A 9. “Admiral Rogers, the new...”-- Bill Gertz, “NSA Director: Snowden’s Leaks Helped Terrorists Avoid Tracking,” Washington Free Beacon,February 24, 2015 10. HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_020433 282 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_020434 283 APPENDEX A SPIES AND ESPIONAGE SOURCES [TK] HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_02043

ern authoritarians. Again, Russia has taken the lead, with the state's asser- tion of authority over history textbooks and the process, encouraged by Putin, of reassessing the historical role of Joseph Stalin. ¢ The hiring of political consultants and lobbyists from democratic countries to represent th

represent undue interference in their domestic affairs and a violation of national pre- rogatives. 3. Dictatorship of law: Initially articulated by Vlad- imir Putin, this phrase has come to signify the adoption of laws that are so vaguely written as to www.freedomhouse.org HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019241 --- PAGE BREAK

o cast ballots than it is for Hungarian citizens who are tempo- rarily working in Europe or elsewhere. ¢ Asa matter of high priority, both Orban and Pu- tin have secured domination over the judiciary with the goal of removing its role as a check on their power. ‘Law and Justice’ in Poland Like Hungary,

ernment. ls Orban a Central European version of Putin? Orban's domestic critics have often compared his governing style to that of Russian president Vladimir Putin. On the surface, the comparison seems unfair. Hungary is still rated Free by Freedom House. It still has genuine opposition parties, however we