Trump blasts Russia probe, touts ex-adviser Page over FBI, CIA

[webfact]

Trump blasts Russia probe, touts ex-adviser Page over FBI, CIA

By Doina Chiacu

REUTERS

 

U.S. President Donald Trump is seen at the Naval Air Station Sigonella following the G7 Summit, in Sigonella, Sicily, Italy, May 27, 2017. REUTERS/Darrin Zammit Lupi

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump sought to insert himself into congressional investigations on Russia on Wednesday, urging lawmakers to hear from one of his former advisers, Carter Page, to counter testimony by directors of the FBI and CIA.

 

Trump has been dismissive of probes by the FBI and several congressional panels into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election and potential collusion with his campaign.

 

In a series of early morning tweets, the president quoted a letter from Page, in which he asked to address the House Intelligence Committee promptly and referred to what he characterized as faulty testimony from U.S. intelligence officials.

 

Trump accused Democrats of blocking Page's testimony, without citing evidence but referring to an unidentified report.

 

"So now it is reported that the Democrats, who have excoriated Carter Page about Russia, don't want him to testify. He blows away their case against him & now wants to clear his name by showing 'the false or misleading testimony by James Comey, John Brennan...' Witch Hunt!" Trump wrote on Twitter, referring to the former directors of the FBI and CIA.

 

Trump's tweets came as his advisers are planning to establish a "war room" to combat mounting questions about communication between Russia and his campaign.

 

The White House said on Wednesday it would not answer any more questions about the investigations, referring reporters instead to Trump's outside attorney, Marc Kasowitz.

 

The president's penchant for tweeting could complicate White House efforts to tamp down the scandal if the messages appear to address the investigations.

 

Representative Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House committee, swatted back at Trump on Twitter with a reference to the president's acknowledgment to NBC that he was thinking of "this Russia thing" when he fired Comey on May 9.

 

"@POTUS, appreciate suggestion on witnesses but feel you may not have probe's interests at heart. Ex: Firing FBI Dir because of Russia probe," Schiff wrote.

 

Democrats say Comey's dismissal was aimed at hindering the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Russia investigation.

CNN reported on Wednesday that Comey would confirm reports that Trump had asked him to let up in an investigation of former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn's contacts with Russia in upcoming public testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee.

 

'STOP TWEETING ABOUT IT'

 

Trump's fellow Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, have urged him to tweet less and more wisely. U.S. Representative Sean Duffy said on Wednesday the Russia investigations were becoming too much of a distraction in Trump's 4-month-old presidency.

 

"I think the president should step aside from any comments, any tweets on the investigation and focus on the agenda that he ran on," Duffy said on CNN. "Stop tweeting about it, stop talking about it and get about the business of your agenda."

 

Page, who provided a copy of his letter to Reuters, said the House committee postponed an appearance scheduled for next week without giving a specific reason.

 

Schiff said in a statement that he and the Republican overseeing the panel's probe, Representative Mike Conaway, want to review documents before interviewing witnesses.

 

Russia has denied U.S. intelligence agencies' conclusion that Moscow interfered in the election campaign to try to tilt the vote in Trump's favour, and the president has denied any collusion.

 

Congressional committees have contacted a parade of Trump associates and advisers to request information in their probes.

 

In addition to Page, they include Flynn, former campaign manager Paul Manafort, former White House press officer Boris Epshteyn, personal lawyer Michael Cohen and informal adviser Roger Stone.

 

On Wednesday, the House committee approved subpoenas for Flynn and Cohen. It also approved subpoenas to intelligence agencies seeking records showing which former Obama administration officials requested the "unmasking" of the names of Trump associates who were inadvertently picked up in top-secret communications intercepts.

 

Flynn has also been subpoenaed by the Senate Intelligence Committee.

 

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Susan Heavey; additional reporting by Mark Hosenball, Jonathan Landay and Ayesha Rascoe; Writing by Doina Chiacu and Tim Ahmann; editing by Frances Kerry and Jonathan Oatis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-06-01

[mtls2005]

Interesting, now he knows who Carter Page is.

 

I honestly love that he's digging his own grave by publicly commenting, but his lawyers (and family) need to get him stop talking about his Russian imbroglio.

 

 

 

[ilostmypassword]

Trump previously denied that he even knew page.

[darksidedog]

30 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said:

Trump previously denied that he even knew page.

Trump says he knows people, or that he doesn't know them based entirely on convenience. He said he knew Putin and had met him, then backtracked.

I can see that after all the investigations the killer blow, that brings him down is likely to be a tweet written in a moment of pique by himself.

[FritsSikkink]

"Trump's fellow Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, have urged him to tweet less and more wisely. "

He can't help himself, is texting before he thinks things through. How sad.

[iReason]

Trump defends Carter Page, whom he is not supposed to know

 

"Over the weekend, the Wall Street Journal reported that “a team of lawyers” may soon review Donald Trump’s social-media missives as the White House tries to grapple with the Russia scandal."

 

"A year ago, during the presidential campaign, Trump personally singled out Page, by name, as one of only a handful of people who were advising him on matters of foreign policy. That became highly problematic: the FBI has investigated Page as a possible agent of Russia."

 

"The more controversial Page became, the more eager Team Trump became to put distance between Page and the president. Sean Spicer told reporters during the transition period, for example, “Carter Page is an individual whom [Trump] does not know.”

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-defends-carter-page-whom-he-not-supposed-know

 

 

From the OP:

"The White House said on Wednesday it would not answer any more questions about the investigations, referring reporters instead to Trump's outside attorney, Marc Kasowitz."

 

Whatta surprise... 

[iReason]

A transcript of Donald Trump’s meeting with The Washington Post editorial board

 

"FREDERICK RYAN JR., WASHINGTON POST PUBLISHER: Mr. Trump, welcome to the Washington Post."

 

"RYAN: Thank you… We’ve heard you’re going to be announcing your foreign policy team shortly… Any you can share with us?

 

"TRUMP: Well, I hadn’t thought of doing it, but if you want I can give you some of the names… Walid Phares, who you probably know, PhD, adviser to the House of Representatives caucus, and counter-terrorism expert; Carter Page, PhD; George Papadopoulos, he’s an energy and oil consultant, excellent guy; the Honorable Joe Schmitz, [former] inspector general at the Department of Defense; [retired] Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg; and I have quite a few more."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2016/03/21/a-transcript-of-donald-trumps-meeting-with-the-washington-post-editorial-board/?utm_term=.e758e09ed3f2

 

Number 2 on the list.

Never met him?

 

Perhaps there is something in those secret White House visiter logs that could clear this up...

Edited June 1, 2017 by iReason

[helpisgood]

2 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

"Trump's fellow Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, have urged him to tweet less and more wisely. "

He can't help himself, is texting before he thinks things through. How sad.

 

I agree that Trump seems to not be able to help himself. 

 

My guess is that it has to do with the nature of his business prior to his presidential campaign.  At that time, it was probably much easier and practical to just make something up to resolve the immediate situation.  I think he then did view - albeit not wisely - long-term consequences of little or no importance. 

 

Thus, perhaps his mind is just not used to keeping track of whatever b.s. he had spouted out earlier.  It just didn't seem necessary to him and he may have replied to complaints with things like, "And what are you going to do about it?  Sue me?" 

[RobFord]

 
I agree that Trump seems to not be able to help himself. 
 
My guess is that it has to do with the nature of his business prior to his presidential campaign.  At that time, it was probably much easier and practical to just make something up to resolve the immediate situation.  I think he then did view - albeit not wisely - long-term consequences of little or no importance. 
 
Thus, perhaps his mind is just not used to keeping track of whatever b.s. he had spouted out earlier.  It just didn't seem necessary to him and he may have replied to complaints with things like, "And what are you going to do about it?  Sue me?" 

Don't over complicate it. He's just a psychopathic liar. I've found the best liars always believe it while they say it.


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Thaidream]

" what a tangled web we weave when first we practise to deceive!"

 

Sir Walter Scott........

 

Keep tweeting- Donald.   Eventually you will be caught in the web.

[Emster23]

Tick....... tick........... tick..........

Your time is running down, Donald. But maybe you want that

[yardrunner]

5 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

"Trump's fellow Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, have urged him to tweet less and more wisely. "

He can't help himself, is texting before he thinks things through. How sad.

he should engage his brain before using his tweeting finger (an update on the old saying about engaging brain before opening mouth )

[dunroaming]

Digging away, day by day!

[iReason]

Sean Spicer: White House is no longer taking questions on Trump and Russia

 

"Asked about Comey’s evidence and whether the president had engaged in obstruction of justice, his press secretary Sean Spicer replied: “We are focused on the president’s agenda and going forward all questions on these matters will be referred to outside counsel Marc Kasowitz."

 

"Kasowitz is Trump’s long-time lawyer and has represented him in property deals, divorce cases and fraud allegations at Trump University."

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/may/31/donald-trump-russia-investigation-sean-spicer-no-questions

 

The rats infesting the White House are circling their wagons...

[Srikcir]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

"I think the president should step aside from any comments, any tweets on the investigation and focus on the agenda that he ran on,"

In response Trump has doubled down on his personal alliance with the Russians.

Trump is moving towards handing back to Russia two diplomatic compounds near New York City from which POTUS Obama shutdown because they were being “used by 35 Russian personnel for intelligence-related purposes.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-administration-moves-to-return-russian-compounds-in-maryland-and-new-york/2017/05/31/3c4778d2-4616-11e7-98cd-af64b4fe2dfc_story.html?utm_term=.7c2e9151bb7b

 

[iReason]

Nigel Farage is 'person of interest' in FBI investigation into Trump and Russia

Exclusive: FBI interested in former Ukip leader’s ties with people connected to US president and WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange (sub-title)

 

"Nigel Farage is a “person of interest” in the US counter-intelligence investigation that is looking into possible collusion between the Kremlin and Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, the Guardian has been told."

 

"Sources with knowledge of the investigation said the former Ukip leader had raised the interest of FBI investigators because of his relationships with individuals connected to both the Trump campaign and Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder whom Farage visited in March."

 

"WikiLeaks published troves of hacked emails last year that damaged Hillary Clinton’s campaign and is suspected of having cooperated with Russia through third parties, according to recent congressional testimony by the former CIA director John Brennan, who also said the adamant denials of collusion by Assange and Russia were disingenuous."

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/01/nigel-farage-is-person-of-interest-in-fbi-investigation-into-trump-and-russia

Edited June 1, 2017 by iReason

[mamypoko]

I'm sure Donald does feel a bit lost. I'm quite certain he knows nothing about the Russian issue.

Must be rough being an unwitting puppet. Perhaps new legal advice will chill him out a bit.

 

Good luck Mr. President.

And by the way, you are the puppet.

Edited June 1, 2017 by mamypoko

[boomerangutang]

 

3 hours ago, Thaidream said:

" what a tangled web we weave when first we practise to deceive!"

Sir Walter Scott........

Keep tweeting- Donald.   Eventually you will be caught in the web.

I agree with the first part.  I want Trump to keep tweeting.  Tweet away, dumbo.

As for the 'eventually.....' part.  I think he's already in the web.  FBI has known that for at least 10 months, and HRC, her campaign staff, and Obama have known Trump is a puppet of the Russians for at least a year.   The only difference between then and now, is that there's growing evidence coming out, day by day.  Stay tuned, ......LOTS MORE TO COME !

 

2 hours ago, dunroaming said:

Digging away, day by day!

....his own political grave.   And digging deep ugly holes for all those around him to fall into.  Get ready for added staffers to bail out while they can.  I sure would.  Trump is toxic, and he has no problem pulling people down into the quicksand with him, and then stomping on their heads, so he can still breathe.

[dunroaming]

9 minutes ago, boomerangutang said:

 

I agree with the first part.  I want Trump to keep tweeting.  Tweet away, dumbo.

As for the 'eventually.....' part.  I think he's already in the web.  FBI has known that for at least 10 months, and HRC, her campaign staff, and Obama have known Trump is a puppet of the Russians for at least a year.   The only difference between then and now, is that there's growing evidence coming out, day by day.  Stay tuned, ......LOTS MORE TO COME !

 

....his own political grave.   And digging deep ugly holes for all those around him to fall into.  Get ready for added staffers to bail out while they can.  I sure would.  Trump is toxic, and he has no problem pulling people down into the quicksand with him, and then stomping on their heads, so he can still breathe.

What is truly staggering is that there are still some people supporting him and think he is doing OK.  They keep relying on the old argument that everyone is against him.  Well yes they are, but that is because he is a total disaster

[Dumbastheycome]

Sadly  predictable as  any  soap  opera.

Sadder still is this  is  reality.

Not sure  so many understand  the  implications  of the  difference !

[Srikcir]

12 hours ago, boomerangutang said:

Stay tuned, ......LOTS MORE TO COME !

Putin now suggests that “patriotically minded” private Russian hackers could have been involved in cyber attacks last year that meddled in the United States presidential election.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/01/world/europe/vladimir-putin-donald-trump-hacking.html?_r=0

So the "Russian" cyber attack is not fake news!

Those patriotically minded private citizens seem very similar to those "private" Russians who traveled to Crimea to overthrow the Ukrainian government. Given the very authoritarian Russian government run by ex-KGB Putin, is it plausible that private Russian citizens would be allowed such an attack without Putin's permission?

[Fulwell53]

Good old donald.

The only man capable of making us believe that bush junior, nixon and reagan were liberal intelligent statesmen. 

[heybruce]

4 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Putin now suggests that “patriotically minded” private Russian hackers could have been involved in cyber attacks last year that meddled in the United States presidential election.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/01/world/europe/vladimir-putin-donald-trump-hacking.html?_r=0

So the "Russian" cyber attack is not fake news!

Those patriotically minded private citizens seem very similar to those "private" Russians who traveled to Crimea to overthrow the Ukrainian government. Given the very authoritarian Russian government run by ex-KGB Putin, is it plausible that private Russian citizens would be allowed such an attack without Putin's permission?

It seems that Putin knows that the hackers will be traced back to Russia, and is trying to obscure his government's involvement.

[heybruce]

It seems the Trump supporters are on hiatus.  One can forgive them for giving up on defending the indefensible.

[Jingthing]

5 minutes ago, heybruce said:

It seems the Trump supporters are on hiatus.  One can forgive them for giving up on defending the indefensible.

The latest line from trumpists is that collusion with Russia is totally OK, and in any case, certainly not illegal.

[heybruce]

33 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

The latest line from trumpists is that collusion with Russia is totally OK, and in any case, certainly not illegal.

That's like saying that taking money from a bank is ok and legal:  Not necessarily, it depends on how you do it.

[heybruce]

" Trump accused Democrats of blocking Page's testimony, without citing evidence but referring to an unidentified report. "

 

An unidentified source?  Doesn't that make Trump's 'evidence' fake news?