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As early as 2014, the Obama administration was warned on numerous occasions that Russia was stepping up intel efforts and building an apparatus to interfere with the U.S. political system, Politico reported early Monday. According to “more than half a dozen current and former officials,” the Obama White House was told in the spring of 2014 by a reliable Kremlin source that a disinformation arm was being assembled that posed a threat to Western democracies, in a report circulated to the National Security Council, intel agencies, and the State Department. Politico said the report quoted a Russian source as saying “You have no idea how extensive these networks are in Europe... and in the U.S., Russia has penetrated media organizations, lobbying firms, political parties, governments and militaries in all of these places.” Former Obama officials, speaking anonymously to Politico, confirmed receiving reports, but denied they included specific indications of progress by the Russians within the U.S.