PAPER: Trump Legal Team Wanted Jared Kushner To Step Down Over Russia Investigation

The Wall Street Journal reports several lawyers advising President Trump suggested Jared Kushner should step down as Senior Advisor over ‘possible legal complications’ in connection to the Russia investigation. In July, Kushner made a public statement to the media, calling the Russia investigation a “nothing burger.”

Wall Street Journal reports:

Some of President Donald Trump’s lawyers earlier this summer concluded that Jared Kushner should step down as senior White House adviser because of possible legal complications related to a probe of Russia’s involvement in the 2016 presidential election and aired concerns about him to the president, people familiar with the matter said.

Among their concerns was that Mr. Kushner was the adviser closest to the president who had the most dealings with Russian officials and businesspeople during the campaign and transition, some of which are currently being examined by federal investigators and congressional oversight panels. Mr. Kushner, Mr. Trump’s son-in-law and confidant, has said he had four such meetings or interactions.

Another issue was Mr. Kushner’s initial omission of any contacts with foreign officials from the form required to obtain a security clearance. He later updated the form several times to include what he has said were more than 100 contacts with foreign officials.

A number of President Trump’s lawyers, namely John Dowd, disagreed Kushner was a legal liability to the administration. “I didn’t agree with that view at all. I thought it was absurd,” Mr. Dowd said. “I made my views known.”

Ahead of his July testimonies to the Senate Intelligence Committee (Monday) and House of Representatives Intelligence Committee (Tuesday), Kushner released full details of a previous meeting he had with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak.

 

Thanks for sharing!