WASHINGTON
(Reuters) - Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law and a
senior
White House adviser, said on Monday he "did not collude" with Russia
and had roughly four meetings with Russian officials during the 2016 campaign
and presidential transition.
In a written
statement released ahead of his scheduled appearance before lawmakers in
closed-door sessions, Kushner said his initial security clearance form had been
submitted prematurely in error and had omitted all foreign contacts.
"I did
not collude, nor know of anyone else in the campaign who colluded, with any
foreign government," Kushner said.
"I had
no improper contacts. I have not relied on Russian funds to finance my business
activities in the private sector," he said.
Kushner
faces two days of closed-door questioning from Congress as lawmakers try to determine
whether Trump's campaign enlisted Russia's help to win the White House in last
year's election.
Kushner is
scheduled to address the Senate Intelligence Committee on Monday and the House
of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on Tuesday.
Trump has
been dogged by allegations that his campaign aides worked with Russia, which
U.S. intelligence agencies have accused of interfering in the election. Moscow
has denied any interference, and Trump says his campaign did not collude with
Moscow.
Trump's son
Donald Trump Jr. released emails this month that showed Trump Jr. appeared to
welcome the prospect of damaging information from the Russian government about
Trump's Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.
Members of
both committees say they are eager to hear about the June 2016 meeting
involving Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya. Kushner and former Trump
campaign manager Paul Manafort were also at the meeting.
Kushner
described it as a waste of time.
I actually
emailed an assistant from the meeting after I had been there for ten or so
minutes and wrote 'Can u pls call me on my cell? Need excuse to get out of
meeting.'"
He said no
part of the meeting he attended "included anything about the
campaign" and he had no knowledge of any documents being offered or
accepted.
The Senate
Judiciary Committee is negotiating with Manafort and Trump Jr. about testifying
in a public hearing.
No Secret
Back Channel
Kushner will
also face questions about reports he tried to set up a secret back channel to
Moscow, as well as other contacts with top Russian officials and business
leaders.
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, U.S. on March 17, 2017.
Jim
Bourg/File Photo
Kushner said
he first met Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak in Washington in April 2016 and
shook hands. He said he did not recall phone calls with Kislyak between April
and November of that year as reported Reuters in May, had found no evidence of
the calls in phone records and was skeptical they took place.
In a meeting
with Kislyak after the election, on Dec. 1, Kushner said he articulated a desire
for the United States to make a fresh start with Russia.
"The
fact that I was asking about ways to start a dialogue after Election Day should
of course be viewed as strong evidence that I was not aware of one that existed
before Election Day," he said.
He said the
Russian ambassador asked if there was a secure line in Trump's transition
office to facilitate a discussion with Russian generals about Syria. There was
not.
Kushner
suggested arranging something through an existing communications channel at the
Russian embassy, but Kislyak indicated that was not possible and they agreed to
follow up after the inauguration.
"Nothing
else occurred. I did not suggest a 'secret back channel.' I did not suggest an
ongoing secret form of communication for then or for when the administration
took office," Kushner said. "I did not raise the possibility of using
the embassy or any other Russian facility for any purpose other than this one
possible conversation in the transition period. We did not discuss sanctions."
Kushner said
he met on Dec. 13 with Sergey Gorkov, the head of Russian state-owned
Vnesheconombank, because Kislyak's insistence and because he had a "direct
relationship" with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Sanctions
imposed by former President Barack Obama's administration were not discussed
nor were Kushner's business activities, Kushner said.
"I did
not know or have any contact with Mr. Gorkov before that meeting, and I have
had no reason to connect with him since," Kushner wrote.
Kushner did
not initially disclose any meetings with Russians on forms he filed to get a
government security clearance. He has since revised those forms several times.
He said the
forms were initially submitted prematurely in error and omitted all foreign
contacts he had had, not just those with Russian officials.
Trump said
the investigations in Congress and the Justice Department are politically
motivated.
In a pair of
tweets early Monday morning, the president lashed out at the ongoing
investigation, the media and Washington at large. Without giving proof, he said
no evidence had been found regarding Russia and said Senate Democratic Leader
Charles Schumer had cast blame on Democrats, not Russia, for the election loss.
"Drain
the Swamp should be changed to Drain the Sewer - it's actually much worse than
anyone ever thought, and it begins with the Fake News!" Trump wrote,
adding: "After 1 year of investigation with Zero evidence being found,
Chuck Schumer just stated that "Democrats should blame ourselves, not
Russia."
In an
interview with the Washington Post over the weekend, Schumer said Democrats
failed to deliver a strong message during the campaign.
Representatives
for Schumer could not be reached immediately for comment.
Reuters
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