Again, we know the Arkansas Project / Massive Right Wing Conspiracy / multifaceted smear campaign to get Bill and Hillary was real and wildly successful. Some of the principals involved have bragged and laughed about it. One has "moved on" to the other side. Some of the same people were behind the birther crap and the grass roots Tea Party take over of the Republican Party culminating in Trump. They continued to go after SoS and Presidential candidate HRC.
Craig Livingstone and Billy Dale are largely forgotten. The trail of bodies is a faint memory. Still, to this day I know people who think the Clinton Foundation sold Pay to Play access, Hillary gave our Uranium to Russia, and she stored top secret files on a server in her bathroom..
The Clinton Campaign apparently hired Perkins-Coie, a prestigious law firm for a variety of services, including to do opposition research on Trump? A lawyer or lawyers for Perkins,- Coie hired Fusion GPS. "an opposition research and strategic intelligence firm based in Washington, D.C." -- Wikipedia
Fusion GPS previously investigated Trump for the Washington Free Beacon, a far right publication.
Fusion GPS retained Orbis Business Intelligence, a British private intelligence firm founded by former British intelligence agent Christopher Steele.
Then there is Igor Danchenko, a Russian analyst who was apparently a primary source for something called the Steele Dossier.
Opposition research, like a non-disclosure agreement, is not illegal. I don't see a plan to frame Trump, just the usual efforts to dig up dirt.
As far as I know, political smear campaigns, even lying about opponents, is legal. It's called free speech. Slander and libel apparently don't apply in political campaigns.
A lawyer for Perkins-Coie tipped off the FBI about the possible Alfa Bank connection. The FBI investigated, found nothing.
Is there some weird connection to George Papadopoulos in these covert layers?
A Republican was running against Trump in the primary. A Republican contacted, as you say, a far right publication, to do the opposition research that you refer to as an investigation. The Republican primary challenger no longer needed the services of Fusion GPS when his campaign ended.
Someone contracting with Fusion GPS for Trump opposition before the Clinton campaign involvement is irrelevant.
Regarding that "something called the Steele dossier" it gave the opportunity to surveil a presidential candidate campaign and his presidency. The FBI also wasn't truthful to the FISA Court about Carter Page's status as a source, and that allowed the spying on the campaign.
And "there is Igor Danchenko, a Russian analyst" who may very well be an analyst but he's also not a US citizen. He's a Russian citizen.
I suppose that someone could say the Clinton campaign paid a Russian to dig up dirt and use bar talk from a bar outside the U.S. that proved to be false to effect a Presidential election. I suppose some could also say the Clinton campaign paid for Russian disinformation.
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