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The Political Scene | The New Yorker

Christopher Steele, the Man Behind the Dossier

The Political Scene | The New Yorker

The New Yorker

Barack, Washington, Wickenden, News, Obama, Politics, Wnyc, Lizza, President

4.3 • 3.9K Ratings

🗓️ 12 March 2018

⏱️ 22 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The dossier—a secret report alleging various corrupt dealings between Donald Trump, his campaign, and the government of Russia, made public after the 2016 election—is one of the most hotly debated documents in Washington. The dossier’s author, Christopher Steele, is a former British spy working on contract, and went into hiding after its publication. “The Man Behind the Dossier,” Jane Mayer’s report on Steele, was just published in The New Yorker. She reports that Steele is in the "unenviable predicament" of being hated by both Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin—and that he documented more evidence than he put in the dossier.

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Transcript

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I'm Dorothy Wickend. On today's politics and more podcast, David Remnick talks to the New Yorker's

1:18.4

Jane Mayer about Christopher Steele. In a recent piece for the magazine, Mayor wrote about

1:24.0

Steele's controversial dossier about President Trump's relationship with Russia.

1:31.1

We're going to start with one of the most bizarre events in the rise of Donald Trump, the infamous

1:37.1

Russian dossier. It's a collection of memos written by former British spy Christopher Steele, who was

1:43.8

working on contract for an opposition research company.

1:47.4

But this wasn't the typical opposition research that candidates do on each other to dig up dirt.

1:52.5

The dossier alleges a ring of corrupt ties between Trump and powerful Russians,

1:58.2

so significant that Christopher Steele brought this information to the FBI.

2:03.8

After the dossier was published, Steele went into hiding, and he's been attacked relentlessly by

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