In the investigation of the Russian intervention in elections in 2016, the investigators focused their attention on a series of meetings, which held the son-in-law of the President of trump and influential adviser in the White house Jared Kushner. This was reported by people familiar with the investigation.
The circumstances of the meeting Kouchner, who in December had contact with the Russian Ambassador and a banker from Moscow, interested investigators due to the fact that such contacts were many, and their character raises serious questions.
The Washington Post last week reported that close to the President, a senior official from the White house was in the heart of this important and fraught with consequences of the investigation. However, the name of Kouchner, the newspaper did not name.
FBI agents continue to show great interest to the former Advisor to trump on national security, Michael Flynn and former head of his campaign headquarters Floor Manufactu. However, Kushner is the only action the White house official, who is considered a key figure in the investigation.
Reporters of The Washington Post no one talked about the fact that Kushner was in the center of an investigation or being accused of any wrongdoing. Defendants can be and other persons whose actions are of interest from investigators. Moreover, it often happens that the Prosecutor’s office ultimately makes the charges very different people, not attracting the attention of law enforcement.
“Before, Kouchner had declared their willingness to share with Congress all that it knows about these meetings. He is ready to do it again, if it will be released in connection with another investigation,” said one of his lawyers, Jamie Gorelik (Jamie Gorelic).
The investigators not only to investigate the possible interaction between the Kremlin and the headquarters of the trump with the aim to influence the presidential elections of 2016. They also generally study the possible financial crimes. But people familiar with the investigation people who are not authorized to make public statements, did not say specifically who is the subject of the investigation and that it is checked.
Press Secretary of the Ministry of justice Isgur Sarah Flores (Sarah Isgur Flores) said: “I can’t confirm or deny, is conducted or no an investigation and to answer the question about what the subject of this investigation.” The FBI declined to comment.
During the December meetings trump was President. Contacts between people from the team transition period, and the representatives of foreign governments — it’s a common thing, but meetings and telephone conversations with the Russians at that time no one reported.
In early December, Kouchner met in new York with the Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Sergei Kislyak, and later sent to meet him his Deputy. Flynn was also present at the meeting in early December, and at the end of the month called Kislyak, to discuss us sanctions against Russia. Flynn first created the wrong idea about the nature of that meeting and even misled the Vice President Pence, what was the reason for his resignation.
In addition, in December, Kouchner met with the head of Vnesheconombank Sergey Gorkov. The Bank came under us sanctions after the annexation of Crimea and support for separatists in Eastern Ukraine.
A former senior intelligence officer told that the FBI is investigating not only the December meeting, but earlier contacts between people trump and Russian relating to the spring of 2016. One of these meetings occurred in Washington’s Mayflower hotel. Kushner and Kislyak, as well as a close adviser to trump the attorney-General Jeff sessions in April of 2016 attended an event at this hotel where the candidate trump in his speech promised to improve relations with Russia. It is unclear whether there was contact Kushner and Kislyak.
The New York Times reported that Kouchner in the application form for admission to classified materials did not specify the fact the December meeting with Kislyak and Gorkov, although his lawyer said that it was just an oversight and that later, Kouchner had made corrections to the questionnaire. The white house said that it was a normal meeting, not critical.
Kouchner agreed to talk about their contacts with the Russians to the Senate intelligence Committee, which is conducting one of several investigations of Russian interference in the elections of 2016.
Largely Kushner in the White house — a figure unique.
Many consider it the most trusted Advisor of the President. In addition, he is a very close relative of the tramp with a wide variety of tasks. Among his foreign policy responsibilities — relations with Canada, Mexico, China, as well as peace in the middle East, although publicly he talks about it very rarely.
Former FBI Director Robert Mueller today in charge of the investigation of possible interactions between the Kremlin and team trump. The investigation headquarters is located in downtown Washington to the building of Patrick Henry. Before the Deputy attorney-General Rod Rosenstein instructed Mueller to lead the business, I should have actively worked on it, writing the agenda and preparing to conduct interrogations. This was told by people familiar with the investigation.
A small group of legislators known as the “gang of eight”, at a recent classified briefing was informed that the pace of the investigation and the object of his attention changing.
It is unclear how the arrival of Mueller affect the course of the investigation. This week the experts on the ethics of the Department of justice allowed him to take over the investigation, although lawyers from his old firm at wilmerhale represent a few people who can be involved in this case. Among their clients — Kushner, Manafort and daughter trump Ivanka, who is married to Kushner.
Mueller left the law firm to lead the investigation.
Investigators continue to examine the contacts Flynn, a Grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia, recently issued a judicial request for admission of documents relating to business and Finance Flynn.
His company Flynn Intel Group has received over half a million dollars from the company, owned by Turkish-American businessman who is close to the leadership of Turkey. The payment was made for the investigation of the activities of the preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom the Turkish President accused of organizing the coup attempt made last summer. Flynn in March retroactively registered as a paid foreign agent of the Turkish business community.
In addition, the Pentagon is conducting its own investigation into Flynn on the subject of receiving money from abroad. In 2015, the former adviser got $ 45 dollars for something that came together with Russian President Vladimir Putin at a dinner in honor of the anniversary of Kremlin-controlled media company RT.
