Arya News - Once the full investigation records on Russia’s alleged 2016 election interference are declassified, Americans will stop viewing Russia as an enemy — potentially opening the door to restoring bilateral ties, George Papadopoulos, former Trump campaign adviser, told Sputnik.
Papadopoulos was one of the central figures in the investigation into alleged Russian interference in the US presidential election of 2016. In 2018, the ex-adviser was sentenced to 14 days in prison and a fine of $9,500 for allegedly giving statements to the FBI. In 2020, US President Donald Trump granted Papadopoulos full pardon. Papadopoulos expressed belief that there is a lot more sensitive information that has to come out, including regarding the involvement of other foreign governments that were working with the Democrats in the Obama administration. "But as of right now, I think it is a very good first step. We have seen indictments, and credibility in the justice system is being restored, and this is a very big boost, I think, to people like myself, President Trump, and others who were involved in this fake scandal," Papadopoulos added. A CIA review concluded in July that the 2016 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) on the alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election campaign was conducted with anomalies, such as excessive involvement of agency heads. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence said in August that the ICA was based on information, including the Steele Dossier, as part of a smear campaign against Trump. The claims led to politicized investigations, arrests, and heightened tensions between the US and Russia.