If the reported trip isn’t disturbing enough, yesterday Moskovsky Komsomolets, known as MK, a Russian outlet with a long history of publishing information and propaganda from the FSB, Russia’s Federal Security Service, ran an article speculating about Patel’s relationship with Russia and what could come from his upcoming visit. It discussed everything from Russia providing kompromat on Democrats and what Moscow could get in return, to Patel serving as a backchannel to Putin and secret FBI-FSB contacts that may already be taking place in third countries.

Olga Lautman