Carter Page is Not Very Smart

This is an excerpt from Carter Page's letter to James Comey at the FBI, in September 2016:

"As you may be aware, the source of these accusations is nothing more than completely false media reports. Yet for the record, I have not met this year with any sanctioned individual in Russia or any other country despite the fact that there are no restrictions on U.S. persons speaking with such individuals."

Ugh. This paragraph is a complete mess, so let's break it down.

"As you may be aware..."

If Comey had been aware that the public accusations against Page were completely false, why would Page have to write him a letter? This is a weak attempt to persuade law enforcement through rhetoric, at best.

"...the source of these accusations is nothing more than completely false media reports."

No proof offered, just a statement urging the FBI to trust Page's word. The worst part for Page is that he's establishing a record of this current version of his truth, to be used later against future testimony to either Congress or the FBI or Mueller's team -- all under oath. The year that has followed has played out this way.

"I have not met this year..."

This is quite the qualifier. The presumption we're now led to believe is that he's met with interesting people before 2016.

"...with any sanctioned individual in Russia or any other country..."

This is another remarkable qualifier. Most spies and most of the FSB aren't sanctioned individuals. By raising this qualifier, it makes Page look rather ignorant and points to Page hinting that he'd met with many Russians while in Russia and other countries, related to campaign activities.

"despite the fact that there are no restrictions on U.S. persons speaking with such individuals."

He first established his point that he hadn't met with any "sanctioned" individuals, only to point out that meeting with such sanctioned individuals is not illegal. So, why are you telling us what we already know -- are there meetings with people you'd rather not discuss?

I almost feel sorry for him. On his own volition, he wrote a letter that produced a dozen red flags and a trail of his lies. In the year that followed, Page kept rushing in front of the cameras, each time producing a different version of his truth. Carter Page is not very smart; if he's convicted, he only has himself to blame.