A cornered Jared Kushner says there was no collusion with Russia
After talking for two hours with members of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Monday morning, the president's son-in-law insists that "no means no”.
“Let me be very clear: I did not collude with Russia, nor do I know of anyone else in the campaign who did so. I had no improper contacts. I have not relied on Russian funds for my businesses. And I have been fully transparent in providing all requested information," Kushner told reporters at the White House.
Kushner, who currently serves as the chair's advisor, has said that he "received more than 200 e-mails per day and at least representatives from 15 countries contacted him during the presidential campaign to discuss various issues," Univision reported.
“Donald Trump had a better message and ran a smarter campaign and that is why he won. Suggesting otherwise ridicules those who voted for him,” Kushner insisted, referring to the investigation being led by several congressional committees and a special prosecutor.
The president's advisor made public the 11-page statement he gave to the Senate Intelligence Committee, insisting that encounters with Russian officials during the election campaign and the transition process "had no significance" and that "there was no collusion with the Moscow government to help Trump win the election. "
"I am voluntarily providing this statement, delivering documents, and conducting interviews to shed light on issues that have arisen about my role in the campaign," a role he described as a "point of contact" with foreign authorities.
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Kushner's meetings with Russian officials have been progressively published in investigative media such as The Washington Post, such as the one held on December 13, 2016 in New York with Sergey Gorkov, a Russian banker who was recommended by the Russian ambassador to the White House, Sergey Kislyak. According to his statements on Monday, Kushner said that "nothing substantial came up and there were no further contacts with the banker."
The president's son-in-law also rejected any accusations of private meetings with the Russian ambassador as well as any kind of telephone communication, clearly denying that a "private communication channel" had been set up between Moscow and Washington.
"I did not suggest a ‘secret back channel’. I did not suggest an on-going secret form of communication by then or by the time the administration took office. I did not look at the possibility of using an embassy or any other Russian facility for any purpose other than a possible conversation during the transition period, "the advisor wrote.
Kushner's conversations with foreign officials and businessmen drew attention in the investigation because the president's son-in-law did not immediately disclose his meetings on the federal forms requested for his White House security clearance. During his testimony, Kushner said it was an error on the part of his team members and assistants.
The president's advisor's testimonies will be held between Monday and Tuesday and will not be under oath, but Kushner is bound to testify with the truth, since lying to Congress is a crime.
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