Kompromat:
In Russian culture, kompromat (Russian: компрома́т), short for “compromising material” (Russian: компромети́рующий материа́л, romanized: komprometiruyushchy material), is damaging information about a politician, a businessperson, or other public figure, which may be used to create negative publicity, as well as for blackmail, often to exert influence rather than monetary gain, and extortion. Kompromat may be acquired from various security services, or outright forged, and then publicized by use of a public relations official. Widespread use of kompromat has been one of the characteristic features of the politics of Russia and other post-Soviet states. [Wikipedia]
Noted in “The Rs are not just lying to us and their supporters. They are lying to each other.”, chloris creator, The Daily Kos:
But what is interesting is why [Republicans] have been lying so much. A lot of speculation has been that that is the only way to keep power. That is what Lindsey Graham has been saying.
But if the support is weaker than they have pretended it to be, if the Rs in leadership are not doing this because they are following the followers, there may be other reasons. Possibly it’s because they have no other plays. Possibly it’s the tRumpian threat to primary these folks, or to send his followers to threaten them in other ways. But possibly it’s because of kompromat. I have been wondering about Graham and kompromat for years.
