And...Russia has a clear geopolitical interest in getting Trump elected. So when Russia and Trump say they didn't, and US intelligence says they did, there aren't many places to go when they're all liars.
To my mind, the biggest argument in favor is Trumps consistent pro-Russia attitude, one of his few consistencies. At the same time, he was denying as late as July that he'd ever met Putin. Why should he give a shit? He displays no principles at any other time.
I doubt it made much difference. Comey I think was more influential. But that doesn't mean it wasn't attempted.
While the trump chumps choose to focus myopically on repeating that Russia's efforts were not a factor in the electoral outcome, they align themselves quite neatly, exactly as Putin directs them. "I don't want conclusions, I want EVIDENCE!" is a call for the US to reveal all means and methods by which the intelligence community has come to the grave conclusion that Russia is trying to destroy the American democracy. THAT is the issue, not the orange moron's personal quest for credibility (that he will never have). Uncle Vlad is giggling in glee, as his orange puppet complies with the directive to destroy the credibility and effectiveness of the US intelligence community in the eyes of the public and the mind of the US groper-in-chief.
Take aside whether the Russians did it or not, whether we actually believe they did, how do does anyone disprove a negative? That is to say there is nothing by way of evidence to answer. Even the CIA (as I quoted from the Washington Post which is favourable to the Democrats) says there is no evidence the ‘Russians actually influenced the election.’
The CIA has not established the Russians hacked the particular files in question, and has not established how this affected the election.
There may be ‘certainty the Russians ‘’did it’ but even the CIA is saying (as I quoted earlier) this isn’t proven. So why does anyone need to disprove something that cannot be proven.
Realistically, it would take a considerable more objectivity on the part of the CIA who to be honest are very disappointing in their performance on this.
I’m sure an Atheist would not want to prove there is no God’. However this works in the same way’; you can’t disprove a negative
However given the password was inadvertently released, and then anyone who noticed it would have access to the Democrat files.
In the first instance the investigators will have the task of establishing a direct line of activities to establish this originating from the Russians to the Democrat files. This will involve your expertise but the CIA would need to establish links where emails were not used. It's a lot of work.
I think an investigation through the chaos of different sources and dead ends and sometimes false information so I am sure this would take a considerable amount of time.
Did the Russians pass information from their sources to others in a chain of persons? It could have done. However once this is established, how did this information affect the Clinton Campaign and make it lose the election, for which no one has given an answer yet.
To solve this will require a grope effort, sorry group effort.