The Trump campaign basically used Google to vet advisers and hoped for the best
Donald Trump's presidential campaign vetted candidates the same way you and I might vet a place for dinner. You know, Google the name of the place, see what's on the menu, check out some reviews, and make a call yay or nay.
This, according to The Washington Post, is how Trump campaign staffers checked out Carter Page. They learned he was interested in being a part of the team. They Googled him. They found he had degrees from New York University and the University of London as well as a lot of energy industry involvement. This was impressive! He was welcomed.
Page, as we now know, had also been under the watchful eye of the FBI for several years due to his connections with the Russian energy industry. Last summer, the FBI got a secret surveillance court order to monitor his communications, because the agency believed they had reason to think he was acting on behalf of the Russian government.
Page hasn't been accused of any crime, but his involvement in the campaign has contributed to the continual swirl of rumors about the Trump campaign's connections to the Russian government.
But hey, on the bright side: If Trump's campaign staff Googles Page again to vet him for the 2020 election, all this Russia stuff will definitely come up.
Topics Donald Trump Politics
Colin is Mashable's US & World Reporter. He previously interned at Foreign Policy magazine and The American Prospect. Colin is a graduate from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. When he's not at Mashable, you can most likely find him eating or playing some kind of sport.
