Evidence reveals Jared Kushner looped in on 2016 Russia e-mails
White House senior adviser Jared Kushner was revealed to have been included in multiple emails regarding Wikileaks and Russia in the weeks leading up to the 2016 presidential election.
The new evidence was introduced by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and ranking member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) on Thursday in a letter sent to Kushner’s lawyer, demanding additional documents from Trump’s son-in-law as part of the committee’s ongoing investigation of Russia’s meddling in the election.
Grassley and Feinstein say Kushner received an email about WikiLeaks in September 2016 that he forwarded to an official within President Trump’s campaign. Kushner also received communications about a “Russian backdoor overture and dinner invite,” according to the letter, which reads as follows:
“For example, other parties have produced September 2016 email communications to Mr. Kushner concerning WikiLeaks, which he then forwarded to another campaign official.”
The letter also indicates that, “other parties have produced documents concerning a ‘Russian backdoor overture and dinner invite’ which Mr. Kushner also forwarded. And still others have produced communications with Sergei Millian, copied to Mr. Kushner. Again, these do not appear in Mr. Kushner’s production despite being responsive to the second request. You also have not produced any phone records that we presume exist and would relate to Mr. Kushner’s communications regarding several requests.”
The Senators addressed the letter to attorney Abbe Lowell, and indicate that the documents provided to the Senate Judiciary Committee are “incomplete,” giving Lowell and his client until Nov. 27 to comply with the records request.
In addition, the lawmakers are asking Lowell to submit documents previously requested that relate to specific individuals in the Russia investigation.
“It appears that your search may have overlooked several documents,” the letter says.
Grassley and Feinstein also informed the attorney that claims of “confidentiality” based on “national security” have no bearing when Congress is asking for specific information that will not be released to the public.
“Moreover, with regard to your claim that the documents are confidential, while the Privacy Act limits the government’s authority to release the information provided to it, there is no restriction on your client’s ability to provide that information to Congress.”