Russia collusion

I gather that evidence is coming to light that the Russia Collusion claim was known to be a hoax even before the old FBI probe.

That surprises me--I'd have expected more thorough document destruction. That it was a hoax was a no-brainer.

Finding money spent by Russia to stir up mischief seems pretty trivial--on two fronts. Trying to make trouble for the US has been a foreign policy objective for the Russian/Soviets for a century. And the sums announced were trivial too, compared to the amount the parties and supporters were already putting in.

And the notion that the Russians would prefer Trump to Hillary didn't pass the smell test. Governments run on money, and the bulk of Russian hard currency money came and comes from hydrocarbon sales, with arms sales coming up distant second. Hillary was committed to ending and preventing fracking, which would have boosted hydrocarbon prices and Russian revenue and Putin's power. She was predictable.

Making up stories about political opponents has a long history, though getting government collusion in the project seems innovative. Though, on consideration, it sounds like some of what I've been listening to in Byzantine history.