Exclusive: Trump son-in-law had undisclosed contacts with Russian envoy - sources

By Ned Parker and Jonathan Landay

 

FILE PHOTO: White House Senior Advisor Jared Kushner listens during President Donald Trump's joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in the East Room of the White House in Washington, March 17, 2017. REUTERS/Jim Bourg

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and close adviser, Jared Kushner, had at least three previously undisclosed contacts with the Russian ambassador to the United States during and after the 2016 presidential campaign, seven current and former U.S. officials told Reuters.

 

    Those contacts included two phone calls between April and November last year, two of the sources said. By early this year, Kushner had become a focus of the FBI investigation into whether there was any collusion between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin, said two other sources - one current and one former law enforcement official.

 

Kushner initially had come to the attention of FBI investigators last year as they began scrutinizing former national security adviser Michael Flynn’s connections with Russian officials, the two sources said.

 

    While the FBI is investigating Kushner’s contacts with Russia, he is not currently a target of that investigation, the current law enforcement official said.

 

The new information about the two calls as well as other details uncovered by Reuters shed light on when and why Kushner first attracted FBI attention and show that his contacts with Russian envoy Sergei Kislyak were more extensive than the White House has acknowledged. 

 

    NBC News reported on Thursday that Kushner was under scrutiny by the FBI, in the first sign that the investigation, which began last July, has reached the president’s inner circle.  

 

    The FBI declined to comment, while the Russian embassy said it was policy not to comment on individual diplomatic contacts. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

 

Kushner's attorney, Jamie Gorelick, said Kushner did not remember any calls with Kislyak between April and November.

 

"Mr Kushner participated in thousands of calls in this time period. He has no recollection of the calls as described. We have asked (Reuters) for the dates of such alleged calls so we may look into it and respond, but we have not received such information," she said.

 

In March, the White House said that Kushner and Flynn had met Kislyak at Trump Tower in December to establish “a line of communication.” Kislyak also attended a Trump campaign speech in Washington in April 2016 that Kushner attended. The White House did not acknowledge any other contacts between Kushner and Russian officials.

 

BACK CHANNEL

 

Before the election, Kislyak’s undisclosed discussions with Kushner and Flynn focused on fighting terrorism and improving U.S.-Russian economic relations, six of the sources said. Former President Barack Obama imposed sanctions on Russia after it seized Crimea and started supporting separatists in eastern Ukraine in 2014.

 

After the Nov. 8 election, Kushner and Flynn also discussed with Kislyak the idea of creating a back channel between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin that could have bypassed diplomats and intelligence agencies, two of the sources said. Reuters was unable to determine how those discussions were conducted or exactly when they took place.

 

Reuters was first to report last week that a proposal for a back channel was discussed between Flynn and Kislyak as Trump prepared to take office. The Washington Post was first to report on Friday that Kushner participated in that conversation.

 

Separately, there were at least 18 undisclosed calls and emails between Trump associates and Kremlin-linked people in the seven months before the Nov. 8 presidential election, including six calls with Kislyak, sources told Reuters earlier this month. . Two people familiar with those 18 contacts said Flynn and Kushner were among the Trump associates who spoke to the ambassador by telephone. Reuters previously reported only Flynn’s involvement in those discussions.

 

Six of the sources said there were multiple contacts between Kushner and Kislyak but declined to give details beyond the two phone calls between April and November and the post-election conversation about setting up a back channel. It is also not clear whether Kushner engaged with Kislyak on his own or with other Trump aides.

 

HOW KUSHNER CAME UNDER SCRUTINY

 

   FBI scrutiny of Kushner began when intelligence reports of Flynn’s contacts with Russians included mentions of U.S. citizens, whose names were redacted because of U.S. privacy laws. This prompted investigators to ask U.S. intelligence agencies to reveal the names of the Americans, the current U.S. law enforcement official said.

 

Kushner’s was one of the names that was revealed, the official said, prompting a closer look at the president’s son-in-law’s dealings with Kislyak and other Russians.

 

   FBI investigators are examining whether Russians suggested to Kushner or other Trump aides that relaxing economic sanctions would allow Russian banks to offer financing to people with ties to Trump, said the current U.S. law enforcement official.

 

    The head of Russian state-owned Vnesheconombank, Sergei Nikolaevich Gorkov, a trained intelligence officer whom Putin appointed, met Kushner at Trump Tower in December. The bank is under U.S. sanctions and was implicated in a 2015 espionage case in which one of its New York executives pleaded guilty to spying and was jailed.

 

The bank said in a statement in March that it had met with Kushner along with other representatives of U.S. banks and business as part of preparing a new corporate strategy.

 

    Officials familiar with intelligence on contacts between the Russians and Trump advisers said that so far they have not seen evidence of any wrongdoing or collusion between the Trump camp and the Kremlin.  Moreover, they said, nothing found so far indicates that Trump authorized, or was even aware of, the contacts.

 

    There may not have been anything improper about the contacts, the current law enforcement official stressed.

 

    Kushner offered in March to be interviewed by the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is also investigating Russia’s attempts to interfere in last year’s election.

 

The contacts between Trump campaign associates and Russian officials during the presidential campaign coincided with what U.S. intelligence agencies concluded was a Kremlin effort through computer hacking, fake news and propaganda to boost Trump’s chances of winning the White House and damage his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-05-27

 

 

Drip, Drip, Drip. A couple months ago on one of his podcasts Oberman explained how the spooks take someone important down. Drip, Drip, Drip. Slowly release the evidence so there is daily anticipation and a built up frenzy in the media. By the time it come to charge the guy it's been expected for awhile. 

He also talked about a text a spook sent to a friend who had asked what will happen to Trump. The text stated "he will die in jail!".

                      Blockbusting revelations are coming down the tubes, a mile a minute.  It's actually kinda cool, how Trump is holding the fort, even though the walls are crumbling, hour by hour.   The longer Trump holds on, the worse it will be for Republican politicians - those currently in office, and those in upcoming elections.

 

 

 

                             I don't doubt Trump will put his clemency powers to work as much as possible in coming months.   And he's counting on whomever is next president, will pardon him also - as happened with Nixon by dough-head Ford.

2 minutes ago, boomerangutang said:

                      Blockbusting revelations are coming down the tubes, a mile a minute.  It's actually kinda cool, how Trump is holding the fort, even though the walls are crumbling, hour by hour.   The longer Trump holds on, the worse it will be for Republican politicians - those currently in office, and those in upcoming elections.

I have thought that all along, if he does have a demise it wont come from the democrats or the media etc, it will come from within the GOP.

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

23 minutes ago, halloween said:

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

                             Trump lost his soul sometime during the VN war, when he took time out from playing squash with pretty college girls, to send a letter to the Army recruitment center and tell 'em he had a bone spur on his heel.  Interesting, when asked about it years later, Trump couldn't recall which heel it was.  

 

                          Or maybe he lost his soul when some dishwashers, at a posh Trump event, asked for some overtime pay, because the party he hosted had gone on hours longer than they all thought it would.  Guess what Trump told the dishwashers:  "Forgetaboutit.  If you want more money, sue me.  See how far that gets you."  ha ha ha.

Property developers in the US, especially crowded, high-cost areas like New York and New Jersey, routinely schmooze with government officials in order to get tax breaks, zoning waivers, etc.  They consider it smart business.

 

Trump and Kushner have conducted business this way their entire adult lives.  I don't think they understand ethics like normal people.  They probably see using public office to steer business their way and to cut some profitable side deals as "smart business".  They are wrong, this behavior is criminal, but that won't prevent them from being puzzled and offended that others don't understand that they are just "smart businessmen.  At least that's how they see themselves.

I can see now why Donald has been so desperate to get the investigation closed down. It doesn't come much closer to home than your own family does it?

I don't care much whether this ends in Trump going to prison as long as it ends with him gone as POTUS and ridiculed for what he is.  The republicans will survive and after some time may regain some credibility and that is important for the balance of power.

 

Of course it would be good to see them replaced by the AMP (American Muslims Party) but maybe it's a bit too soon for that!

Apparently, Jared's been preparing his defense by  watching reruns of the Iran/Contra  trial.  

 

Quote

Top presidential adviser Jared Kushner’s legal team pushed back Friday night against a report that the White House senior adviser and Trump son-in-law had at least three undisclosed contacts with a Russian ambassador during and after the 2016 presidential campaign, saying he had “no recollection” of the alleged exchanges.

 

"Mr. Kushner participated in thousands of calls in this time period. He has no recollection of the calls as described,” Kushner’s lawyer Jamie Gorelick told POLITICO in a statement, responding to a Reuters report about Kushner's contacts with Russian ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak.

 

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/26/jared-kushner-russian-contacts-238877

 

28 minutes ago, Rob13 said:

Apparently, Jared's been preparing his defense by  watching reruns of the Iran/Contra  trial.  

 

 

I suspect in a year or two when the Trumpsters are asked if they voted for Trump, there reply will also be "I have no recollection of that!"

Would appear appointing Robert Mueller to carry on investigating all this, is unnecessary. 

Trump said that he will make America great again. 

He was actually right !!!!  At the time Trump steps down America will become great again. 

Lets hope for that moment to see America becomes great again. 

1 hour ago, dunroaming said:

I suspect in a year or two when the Trumpsters are asked if they voted for Trump, there reply will also be "I have no recollection of that!"

 

It appears there are plenty of the usual suspects on these forums who are hedging their bets with very familiar disclaimers:

 

"I'm not a Trump supporter but..."

"I didn't vote for Trump but..." 

 

And then they will proceed to relentlessly defend him... 

17 minutes ago, iReason said:

And then they will proceed to relentlessly defend him..

Yes they do that but it is in cyber space, I suspect in real life they just keep quiet about Trump. 

 

A bit like UKip voters in Britain

8 hours ago, pegman said:

Drip, Drip, Drip. A couple months ago on one of his podcasts Oberman explained how the spooks take someone important down. Drip, Drip, Drip. Slowly release the evidence so there is daily anticipation and a built up frenzy in the media. By the time it come to charge the guy it's been expected for awhile. 

He also talked about a text a spook sent to a friend who had asked what will happen to Trump. The text stated "he will die in jail!".

Drip drip drip?

4 hours ago, iReason said:

 

It appears there are plenty of the usual suspects on these forums who are hedging their bets with very familiar disclaimers:

 

"I'm not a Trump supporter but..."

"I didn't vote for Trump but..." 

 

And then they will proceed to relentlessly defend him... 

Its called the changing tides of human behavior. 

8 hours ago, halloween said:

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

Speaking as an atheist plenty. 

8 hours ago, pegman said:

Drip, Drip, Drip. A couple months ago on one of his podcasts Oberman explained how the spooks take someone important down. Drip, Drip, Drip. Slowly release the evidence so there is daily anticipation and a built up frenzy in the media. By the time it come to charge the guy it's been expected for awhile. 

He also talked about a text a spook sent to a friend who had asked what will happen to Trump. The text stated "he will die in jail!".

 Drip of what? You mean drip of innuendo and pseudo news? Did you actually read the article?

 

"Officials familiar with intelligence on contacts between the Russians and Trump advisers said that so far they have not seen evidence of any wrongdoing or collusion between the Trump camp and the Kremlin.  Moreover, they said, nothing found so far indicates that Trump authorized, or was even aware of, the contacts. There may not have been anything improper about the contacts, the current law enforcement official stressed."

 

I'm not a Trump fan but this is an investigation looking for a crime. So far, the biggest fake news story of the century by a mile.

Just as a reminder, those who make references to fake news are being given suspensions.   Fake news is news that is made up.   Whether you agree with something or not is different from it being fake.  

 

You have been warned.  

 

Edit:   Off-topic posts removed.  

                             Is Ivanka next?  She must have known about the many law-breaking antics of her dad, her husband, her brothers, and Flynn.  'Accessory to a crime' comes to mind.   And then there are her dealings in Azerbaijan (and or Kazakhstan) with mafia people there.  

 

                   The secret Seychelles meeting was mentioned today for the first time on mainstream media.  The noose is tightening.   Pass the popcorn.

With new revelations each day, about the abysmal people Trump keeps around him, I often recall his oft-repeated statement during the campaign, "I pick the best people, believe me folks."

 

Hey Trumpsters, are you tired of winning so much?  

Former CIA Director Perfectly Explains the Kushner Scandal in 2 Minutes

 

 

John McLaughlin, the former acting director of the CIA, seems to be suggesting that President Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, committed espionage.

 

A Washington Post report published on Friday evening alluded to intercepted Russian communications in which Russia ambassador Sergey Kislyak told his superiors in Moscow that Kushner — who was, at the time, helping to lead Trump’s presidential transition — wanted to set up a communications backchannel with the Kremlin.

 

http://resistancereport.com/politics/cia-dir-kushner-scandal/

3 hours ago, does said:

 Drip of what? You mean drip of innuendo and pseudo news? Did you actually read the article?

 

"Officials familiar with intelligence on contacts between the Russians and Trump advisers said that so far they have not seen evidence of any wrongdoing or collusion between the Trump camp and the Kremlin.  Moreover, they said, nothing found so far indicates that Trump authorized, or was even aware of, the contacts. There may not have been anything improper about the contacts, the current law enforcement official stressed."

 

I'm not a Trump fan but this is an investigation looking for a crime. So far, the biggest fake news story of the century by a mile.

The Drip, Drip, Drip of leaked evidence. The Trump side has not been refuting what is being leaked but has been blasting that leaks are happening. Obviously not all has been revealed. That will come by Drip, Drip, Drip. Trump's efforts to stop the investigation is what is causing most of the smoke leading us to think there is a fire (crime).

14 hours ago, boomerangutang said:

                      Blockbusting revelations are coming down the tubes, a mile a minute.  It's actually kinda cool, how Trump is holding the fort, even though the walls are crumbling, hour by hour.   The longer Trump holds on, the worse it will be for Republican politicians - those currently in office, and those in upcoming elections.

Tell that to the guy who just won Montana. And he still won after allegedly assaulting the mealy mouthed reporter.

2 hours ago, Si Thea01 said:

Tell that to the guy who just won Montana. And he still won after allegedly assaulting the mealy mouthed reporter.

Nice try, but most of the votes had been cast when he assaulted the journalist.   Montanans tend to use absentee and early voting.   

 

It might be interesting to see if this very strongly Republican state would have voted the same had the incident occurred well in advance of voting.

 

It should also be noted that his 'mealy mouthed' question was about the Health Care Bill.   It's pretty scary when a politician can't answer a simple question without violence.   But there you have it, a true blue republican.   

17 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

I have thought that all along, if he does have a demise it wont come from the democrats or the media etc, it will come from within the GOP.

Oh if only.... however Republicans are spineless power mongers. They repeatedly put party above country. I do not think these cowards will do anything to assist in keeping U.S. democracy from the attempted dismantling by their revered leader. 

16 hours ago, heybruce said:

Property developers in the US, especially crowded, high-cost areas like New York and New Jersey, routinely schmooze with government officials in order to get tax breaks, zoning waivers, etc.  They consider it smart business.

 

Trump and Kushner have conducted business this way their entire adult lives.  I don't think they understand ethics like normal people.  They probably see using public office to steer business their way and to cut some profitable side deals as "smart business".  They are wrong, this behavior is criminal, but that won't prevent them from being puzzled and offended that others don't understand that they are just "smart businessmen.  At least that's how they see themselves.

Yes indeed. I always get a big chuckle when I hear " business ethics." lol lol lol Oh what an oxymoron.