They didn't do it Gary ...so Putin didn't have to give any directives or permissions...sheesh. Julian Assange has never published bad information and so far as we know has never lied to any of us regarding his leaks preferring to le the leaks speak for themselves. Assange says No Russian involvement and in a credibility battle between Obama and Assange there is no question whom to believe ...Assange of nothing but the facts or Obama trying desperately to salvage something of the Democrat party he single handedly destroyed and who would like to do whatever he can to discredit Trump who he knows will be disposing of 8 years of his bad policies....the man of many many lies.