Steele's Meeting With US Official Casts Doubts on FBI's Official Story - Epoch Cloud
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WEEK 20, 2019
OUR
nation
Steele’s Meeting
With US Official
Casts Doubts on
FBI’s Official Story
Author of Trump dossier told State Department
official that his client wanted allegations against
Trump out before elections, claimed Russia had an
agent planted in DNC 4
2 | OUR NATION Week 20, 2019 Week 20, 2019 OUR NATION |3
Leader of NXIVM Sole Defendant
Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times
as Former Members Testify Against Him
Elizabeth Williams via AP
Bowen Xiao
NEW YORK—Keith Raniere sat at the top of
every pyramid scheme under the expansive
umbrella organization known as NXIVM, ac-
cording to the office of the U.S. attorney for the
Eastern District of New York. As the ongoing
trial capped off its first week, Raniere sat alone
again, as the sole defendant—a fitting image for
the founder and “grand master” who sat at the
apex of the secret pyramid scheme.
At the federal court in Brooklyn, Raniere ap-
peared enthusiastic and high spirited, sporting
a slight smile of sorts as witnesses, all former
members of NXIVM (pronounced Nex-ee-um),
testified against him. Switching between gray
and blue cardigans, Raniere, referred to as
“Vanguard” by his devotees, scribbled notes
and whispered to his defense attorneys—Paul
DerOhannesian to his right and Marc Agnifilo
to his left. He rarely looked at the witnesses.
Two former members described a pattern of
manipulation, blackmail, humiliation, and
outright deception. One spoke about being
a sex slave in a secret society within NXIVM
called DOS, while another spoke about the
group’s financial workings and rankings. Both
broke down in tears as they recounted their
years in the group.
Raniere, 58, faces a maximum sentence of life Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies at a joint hearing of the Senate Judiciary and Commerce committees in Washington on April 10, 2018.
in prison for seven criminal counts, including
sex trafficking, forced labor conspiracy, and
racketeering. The other five co-defendants in
the U.S. v. Raniere et al. case have all pleaded
A sketch of Keith Raniere (2nd R), leader of the purported self-help organization NXIVM and “master” of the secret
society within it, DOS, attends his trial in Brooklyn federal court in New York on May 7, 2019. Conservatives Ponder Options to Counter
Social Media Censorship
guilty; some pleas came after prosecutors add-
ed child exploitation charges against Raniere
based on evidence he had sex with a 15-year- The Epoch Times in a phone interview that recruiter in the secret DOS scheme, may testify
old girl. Raniere’s attorneys have only two options in against Raniere. DOS is an acronym for the
Prosecutors say Raniere founded “several I kind of call it the their defense, since there is such an extensive Latin “dominus obsequious sororium,” loosely
pyramid-structured organizations” including trail of government evidence. translated as “master of the slave women.”
NXIVM, which he called a “self-help organiza- Charles Manson “My theory is the defense is going to argue, A source told Mann that if Mack does tes-
tion for women.” defense, which one, that Raniere didn’t know anything about tify, the prosecution will ask her to show her
During testimony on May 9, Mark Vicente, all of these activities, that he was kept separate, “brand” to the jury. The brand is a symbol made
a former member who served on the execu- is where he said and two, that cults don’t exist,” she said. “What up of Raniere’s initials and burned onto the
tive board, provided an inside look into the I never was there, has been testified to already is just earth-shat- skin with a cauterizing pen during a process
company’s ranking system dubbed the “strike- tering; it’s so damaging that I don’t know how that took “20 to 30 minutes,” according to court
path.” Beginning members were given a white I never killed he can sit there and listen to all this.” documents. Petr Svab square,’ they are content developers.” users. The company would only both state and federal levels that
sash to wear around their necks before they anybody. ... I think According to Vicente, high-ranking members “From what I’ve heard from a good source be liable if it solicited the defaming would prohibit large social media
could move up in the company by recruiting of the group also objected to the use of the word is that they are going to show the brand to the After a seemingly endless stream Hate Speech Access to the content itself, said Eugene Volokh, a platforms from banning users who
more participants and enrolling in more classes its a very, very “cult.” “They brought up the word ‘cult’ and jury,” Mann said. of conservative personalities being The tech companies have denied po- law professor and First Amendment didn’t engage in unlawful speech.
themselves. After moving up in rank to a yellow risky defense—it’s said the word doesn’t exist. There’s no defini- banned from social media platforms, litical bias in their content policing, large social expert at the University of California “If a large social media company
sash, members could apply to become a coach. tion for it,” he said during his testimony. Secret Slave Society the right-leaning community and but some parts of their content rules, media platforms– in Los Angeles, in a prior phone call. wrongfully denies you access to or
Members could only start earning money in the the only one they Mann called that argument a “terrible” de- The master-slave society known as DOS em- even many anti-censorship sup- especially those on “hate speech,” Back then, there was no Facebook removes you from their platform,”
next rank, called “proctor,” where they earned have. fense, but that Rainiere’s lawyers don’t have ployed a pyramid structure involving levels porters on the left have increasingly could be described as partisan. Facebook, Twitter, or Twitter, so it remains to be seen he said. “You should be able to walk
a 10-percent commission for every new recruit much choice. She explained how a racketeering of “slaves” headed by “masters”; slaves were backed the idea that the government, A 2017 Cato survey showed that and Instagram–is where the courts will draw the line into court, get an injunction against
they brought in. Vicente said there were more or labor conspiracy charge alone could send then expected to recruit their own slaves, thus not the private sector, may need to Democrats were much more likely now. Nunes’s suit may give judges the the company that forces them to re-
than 60 companies under NXIVM. Cathleen Mann, Raniere behind bars for 25 years. becoming masters themselves. Raniere was step in after all. to call a variety of statements “hate- a prerequisite to opportunity to address that. store your account, and be awarded
legal consultant
“He was always fascinated by pyramid “What else can they say? I kind of call it the the “highest master” of DOS and made other Conservatives have been reluctant ful,” while Republicans were more meaningful free substantial statutory damages.”
schemes,” NXIVM’s ex-publicist-turned-whis- Charles Manson defense, which is where he members—all women—have sex with him. to embrace government intervention likely to call them “offensive, but not Platform Access as Civil Right While the federal government is
tleblower, Frank Parlato, told The Epoch Times said I never was there, I never killed anybody. In DOS, directly under Raniere were six so- in big tech’s policing of content, even hateful.” speech in 2019. Another anti-censorship idea has less likely to act on the issue, Re-
in a phone interview. ... I think its a very, very risky defense—it’s the called “first-line masters,” who were slaves only while largely disagreeing with the Only 17 percent of conservatives been getting traction recently—mak- publican-led state legislatures may
Before forming NXIVM, Raniere was a mem- only one they have,” she said. to him. Those in the first line, which would policing framework, which includes considered saying that transgender Will Chamberlain, ing online platform access a civil be sympathetic, he argued. Even if
ber of a multi-level marketing company called Charles Manson, the leader of the infamous be equivalent to the second tier in a pyramid a heavy focus on stamping out “hate people have a mental disorder as lawyer and publisher right. As the argument goes, private just one state threatened lawsuits
Amway before starting his own company in the Manson Family cult, originally received the scheme, had to recruit six more women each as speech,” a hatchling of the ideology “hateful,” compared with 59 per- businesses like hotels, restaurants, and fines on these tech companies,
1990s. That company, Consumers Buyline, was death penalty, which was later commuted to their own slaves. Then each of those six would of political correctness bemoaned by cent of liberals. Only 8 percent of theaters, and banks had the right to it may force them to change their
later shut down by the New York state attorney life with possible parole after California invali- then recruit their own slaves as well. the majority of Americans, but more conservatives characterized saying refuse service to black people until behavior.
general. Raniere was forced to pay fines and dated the state’s death penalty statute in 1972. The government is charging Raniere for vocally on the right. that homosexuality is a sin as “hate- the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Thus, But there’s a problem with this ap-
was banned from operating such a scheme He died at the age of 83 in 2017. forced labor conspiracy, stemming from the But with the censorship showing ful,” compared with 49 percent it has been suggested that if an on- proach—Section 230 specifically says
again. But Parlato said Raniere skirted the It would be a “big mistake” if Raniere testifies, evidence that slaves were required to work for no sign of abating, ideas are begin- of liberals. line platform opens its doors to the that online platforms and their users
terms of his agreement when he began NXIVM although he probably wants to, Mann said. She their masters. ning to be formulated by representa- A recent study by public, it shouldn’t exclude or dis- shouldn’t be held liable for “any ac-
by not listing himself as an owner. referenced Raniere’s “narcissistic” tendencies DOS members were allegedly recruited on tives on how to counter it. Northwestern Universi- advantage people based on political tion voluntarily taken in good faith
“Many of the members out there selling the and said that if the prosecution is critical in the condition that they would give up per- ty researchers showed beliefs either. to restrict access to or availability of
courses were not aware that he [Raniere] was their cross-examination, “he is going to have sonal, often embarrassing, information about Publisher Designation that the Google News One of the proponents of this idea material that the provider or user
leading financially,” Parlato said. “He pretend- a bad reaction to that.” themselves, including compromising images or One of the most commonly debated tool exacerbates the is conservative lawyer Will Cham- considers to be obscene, lewd, las-
ed to be a renunciate. He pretended to have no She added that his lawyers will advise him videos, as “collateral.” Once inside, members ideas is stripping social media com- existing liberal bias berlain. civious, filthy, excessively violent,
attachments to women or money, [that he] only not to testify because he comes off as “very ar- were regularly required to provide additional panies of their “platform” designa- in media by about 50 “Free Speech is more than the First harassing, or otherwise objection-
had one ideal to elevate the consciousness of rogant” and that “no one wants to hear about collateral to ensure that they kept the group’s tion if they continue to enforce rules percent by promoting Amendment, which only protects able, whether or not such material
his followers and those who chose to take his how great or how high his intelligence is.” activities secret. akin to editorial policy. left-leaning legacy out- you from the government infringing is constitutionally protected.”
exalted classes.” “It’s a unique case because a lot of these “There was no [monetary] cost in DOS, but it Interactive computer service pro- lets such as CNN and The on your rights,” he said in a May 3 Federal law trumps state law, so as
Vicente said that while he was a member, charges and arguments have never been used was still a pyramid scheme—the payment was viders are shielded from liability for New York Times more often. article on Human Events, an online long as the companies can make an
he was always “in the red” financially and in a cult case before,” she said. “So the way that in slavery,” Parlato said. “Raniere created the content created by their users under Moreover, by aligning them- media of which he’s the publisher. argument that they sincerely believe
struggled to earn a profit, and that many others Actress Allison Mack leaves this turns out is going to be a template for a lot world’s first blackmail and branding pyramid Section 230 of the Communications selves with the progressive ideology Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) on “In 2019, that is woefully inadequate. some conservative positions to be
reported the same. One intensive class usually the Brooklyn Federal Court- of cult cases going forward. It’s being watched scheme.” Decency Act of 1996. of political correctness, the compa- Capitol Hill on May 17, 2018. Access to the large social media plat- “objectionable,” they would still be
cost around $6,000. Vicente said he had to work house with her lawyers after very, very carefully because a lot of cults do Raniere brought a Mexican family with three Some conservatives have argued nies have picked a minority position, Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times forms—Facebook, Twitter, and Insta- free to block them.
without pay for 16 to 18 hours per day for about a court appearance sur- these things, but I don’t know of any that have girls and a boy to live in upstate New York, that social media giants such as Face- since 52 percent of Americans are gram—is a prerequisite to meaningful Amending Section 230 would
a year before he could move up in the ranks. rounding NXIVM in New been charged.” where NXIVM’s headquarters was located, book and Twitter have gone so far against the United States becoming free speech in 2019.” currently be a long shot in the split
This, he testified, was regarded as moving up York on Feb. 6, 2019. Parlato told The Epoch Times previously that under the guise of tutoring children. in restricting, filtering, and sorting more politically correct and are “up- He proposes that conservatives Congress, where each party controls
quite fast in the company. Each intensive class former “Smallville” actress Allison Mack, a top “Instead, he had sex with all three daugh- users’ content on their platforms that set that there are too many things should have legislation passed on one chamber.
lasted about 8 days. ters and, in order to do it, he turned family they should be treated as providers people can’t say anymore” versus
Parlato said most members spent the bulk Spencer Platt/Getty Images
against family, sister against sister,” Assistant of that information, and thus be li- 36 percent who are “in favor of the Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times
of their years in the group selling and taking U.S. Attorney Tanya Hajjar said in her opening able for it. United States becoming more po-
courses, believing they would earn big money statement. Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) made litically correct,” according to a Nov.
from it one day. One sister is expected to testify about how the argument in a defamation and 28–Dec. 4 NPR/PBS/Marist poll. The
“They made $75,000 or 80,000 a year in Raniere locked her in a room for nearly two negligence suit against Twitter and responses were noticeably partisan,
commission, they would be spending $40,000 years with nothing but a mattress and “pen several Twitter users, claiming dam- with 55 percent of Democrats want-
taking more classes,” Parlato said. “Keith con- and paper,” as punishment for falling in love ages of at least $250 million. ing more political correctness and
tinued to profit.” with another man. She was then sent back to “Twitter uses its platform, includ- just 14 percent of Republicans want-
Mexico without her documentation papers ing proprietary algorithms, selec- ing the same.
‘Earth Shattering’ Testimonies because Raniere couldn’t forgive her, despite tively to convey its corporate/insti- Treating heavily moderated social
Raniere has pleaded not guilty to all charges. countless apology letters. tutional viewpoint, its position on media as publishers may force them
His lawyers, in their opening statements, called The Epoch Times previously explored Ra- issues and candidates for office,” the to ease some of the more draconian
on the jury to focus on the motivations and not niere’s childhood through interviews with suit states. content regulation, but it would de-
the specific actions of Raniere, arguing that some of his former classmates, who re- Nunes elaborated in a March Fox pend on where the courts draw the
it was all consensual and that people needed vealed how his moral descent could have News interview: line between platform and publisher. Facebook founder and CEO
to take more personal responsibility for their stemmed from a deep resentment of girls and “When they’re regulating us ... and The Blumenthal v. Drudge case of Mark Zuckerberg testifies
actions. women he developed after experiencing rejec- then they’re proliferating out things 1997 established that online plat- at a Senate Judiciary and
Cathleen Mann, a legal consultant who has tion in his youth. This apparent hatred of the that they agree with with the algo- forms are immune to defamation Commerce Committees
worked in about 100 cases involving cults and opposite sex, coupled with a need to be adored, rithms that they develop, they need suits under Section 230 even if they Joint Hearing in Washington
runs an independent practice in Colorado, told hinted at what he would later become. to come clean—they are not a ‘public give a special platform to certain on April 10, 2018.
4 | OUR NATION Week 20, 2019 Week 20, 2019 OUR NATION |5
Steele’s Meeting With
sion GPS—Christopher Steele. What “At Fusion’s urging, Steele decid- FBI not know that? I mean, what
happened next is particularly in- ed to speak, on background, to the made Glenn Simpson so uniquely
teresting. On Oct. 31, 2016, Mother press. Identified only as a ‘former qualified to call you on Inauguration
Jones’ David Corn published an ar- Western intelligence officer,’ he told Day about a concern about a source
US Official Casts
ticle headlined “A Veteran Spy Has David Corn, of Mother Jones, that being outed?”
Given the FBI Information Alleging a he had provided information to the Ohr said that he didn’t know Simp-
Russian Operation to Cultivate Don- F.B.I. as part of a ‘pretty substantial son’s sources, prompting a reply
ald Trump.” inquiry’ into Trump’s ties to Rus- from Meadows:
In that article, Corn noted that “in sia. He noted, ‘This is something of “So you mean he must have talked
Doubts on
recent months,” Steele had “provided huge significance, way above party to media. Did he share with you that
the bureau with memos based on politics.’” he had talked to the media, that he
his recent interactions with Rus- Glenn Simpson gave this same was concerned about that?”
sian sources.” Corn also stated that story in his Nov. 14, 2017, testimony Four days later, on Jan. 24, 2017,
he had “reviewed that report and to the House Intelligence Committee: The Wall Street Journal reported
FBI’s Official Story
other memos this former spy wrote.” “I felt like the rules had just been that Millian, a Belarusan-American
Steele, who was not actually thrown out and that Comey had businessman and onetime Russian
named, was referred to as “a former violated the sort of one of the more government translator, was both
senior intelligence officer for a West- sacrosanct policies, which is not “Source D” and “Source E” in the
ern country who specialized in Rus- announcing law enforcement ac- dossier.
sian counterintelligence.” A bit later tivity in the closing days of an elec- But there is a problem with the
in the article, Corn got more specific: tion. And so, we began talking to Journal’s reporting. The dossier
Author of Trump dossier told State “In June, the former Western in-
telligence officer—who spent almost
the press· again about —we decided
that if James Comey wasn’t going to
appears to conflict with the news-
paper’s article in at least one mate-
two decades on Russian intelligence tell people about this investigation rial aspect. According to the dossier,
Department official that his client wanted matters and who now works with
a US firm that gathers information
that, you know, he had violated the
rules, and we would only be fair if
Source E was used as confirmation
for Source D—meaning they can’t be
allegations against Trump out before on Russia for corporate clients—was
assigned the task of researching
the world knew that both candidates
were under FBI investigation.”
the same person.
Notably, since Steele relied on sec-
elections, claimed Russia had an agent Trump’s dealings in Russia and else-
where, according to the former spy
The FBI almost certainly knew be-
fore the Corn article that Steele had
ond- and third-hand sources, Millian
wouldn’t have been a direct source to
planted in DNC and his associates in this American
firm.”
been speaking with the media. The
Hill’s John Solomon reported on the
discovery of a chain of emails that
Steele, but instead would have given
his information to an intermediary,
who then relayed to Steele what Mil-
reportedly detailed exactly that: lian had reportedly said. Millian has
Jeff Carlson Steele and Tatyana Duran, who was which contain redactions, that Steele The State Department in Wash- alleged hack of the DNC emails. She over management of Yukos when article, but nowhere in that article ‘The exchanges also indicate FBI denied being a source for the dossier
referenced as being with Steele’s firm gave a full rundown of the unverified ington on Sept. 19, 2018. quotes Steele as saying, “According Khodorkovsky was arrested).” is Steele referenced. officials were aware that Steele, the and has stated that “they were pro-
News Analysis Orbis Security. Information regard- information compiled in his dossier Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times to their source, while there will con- On Nov. 21, 2016, Kavalec would Two days later, on Sept. 25, Page former MI6 British intelligence op- tecting their real source and framing
A recently released State Depart- ing Duran remains minimal at this to that date. Unknown is what, if any, tinue to be leaks of DNC material, reference Millian again in a follow- sent a letter to FBI Director James erative then working as a confiden- others.”
ment memo revealed that dossier point, and she recently took down information was provided back to ‘all the best stuff’ has already been up email that was sent to DOJ official Comey: tial human source for the bureau, This would seem to make more
author Christopher Steele met with her LinkedIn profile. Steele by Kavalec or the State Depart- leaked and there will not be any Bruce Ohr: “I am writing to request the FBI’s The Russians have had contacts with news media re- sense. If Millian was the true source—
Kathleen Kavalec, then-deputy as- The meeting was likely brokered ment. Page, Manafort, Millian, and bombshells coming.” “Just re-looking at my notes from prompt end of the reported inquiry porters before the FISA warrant was the original source—why would those
sistant secretary for European and by Jonathan Winer, a former deputy Cohen are all U.S. citizens. Steele, as In other words, Steele and his my convo with Chris Steele, I see that regarding my personal trip to Russia succeeded in secured.” involved want to expose Millian, as
Eurasian affairs, on Oct. 11, 2016, just assistant secretary of state for inter- a British citizen, would have no right source claim to have direct knowl- Chris said Kukes has some connec- in July 2016 – an investigation which placing an agent Additionally, we know that Ka- he would, in turn, know the identity
10 days prior to the FBI obtaining a national law enforcement and for- to any information on any American edge of precisely what WikiLeaks tions to Serge [misspelled] Millian,” has been widely mentioned in the valec was aware of this fact after just of the person who spoke with Steele?
FISA warrant on Trump campaign mer special envoy for Libya, whom citizen. had in their possession. she wrote. media.” inside the DNC. one meeting with Steele on Oct. 11, Intentional misdirection away from
adviser Carter Page on Oct. 21, 2016. Steele had known since at least 2010. In Kavalec’s typed notes, she writes Steele also told Kavalec of “a tech- The mentions of Alfa Bank, Millian, In the letter, Page noted that “the 2016; her notes mention “Wash Po/ the true source appears a likelier an-
Notably, Victoria Nuland is the Winer was thanked by Kavalec on that Steele told her, “The institution nical/human operation run out of and Carter Page were particularly source of these accusations is noth- State Department official NYT” under a section listed as “Man- swer.
former assistant secretary of state the following day in an email that approached them [Steele’s firm, Or- Moscow targeting the election.” In noteworthy because of ongoing and ing more than completely false me- Kathleen Kavalec, recalling aging.” And we also know that her
for European and Eurasian affairs. was released as part of the State bis] based on the recommendation Kavalec’s notes, she disputes some concurrent events. dia reports.” Page closed with an in a memo what Christopher typed notes were passed on to “oth- Prague Reference
Nuland admitted to receiving an Department documents obtained of Glenn Simpson and Peter Fritch of the details asserted by Steele—in- offer to meet with the FBI: Steele told her er government officials” on Oct. 19, There has been some discussion of a
early version of Steele’s dossier in by Citizens United through a FOIA (specialists in economic crime, for- dicating these were both researched, Alfa Bank Allegations “Although I have not been con- 2016—two days prior to the issuance Cohen-Prague notation contained in
July 2016. request: merly of the WSJ) and is keen to see and disproven. On Sept. 19, 2016, FBI General Coun- tacted by any member of your team of the Page FISA warrant. the second to last page of Kavalec’s
As noted in a May 10, 2019, letter “Thanks for bringing your friend this information come to light prior Item 3 from Kavalec’s notes is short sel James Baker met with Perkins in recent months, I would eagerly It seems more likely that Page’s notes. The reference appeared note-
sent by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) by yesterday - it was very helpful. to November 8.” but also a potential bombshell. The Coie partner Michael Sussmann. await their call to discuss any final Oct. 28 letter is what forced Steele to worthy given that Steele’s meeting
to both Secretary of State Mike Pom- I’ll be interested in seeing the article In his letter, Graham attributes the only thing written is “the Russians Baker told congressional lawmak- questions they might possibly have This is the first public reference effectively out himself, which could with Kavalec took place on Oct. 11
peo and Inspector General Michael you mentioned.” following statement to Steele, which have succeeded in placing an agent ers in an Oct. 3, 2018, testimony that in the interest of helping them put to Steele, and with hindsight, the indicate that the directive to do so and prior to an Oct. 19 Steele memo
Horowitz, “Ms. Kavalec’s contacts Winer received a separate dos- has received significant media at- inside the DNC.” It doesn’t appear Sussmann presented him with docu- these outrageous allegations to rest.” description is obvious. It also falls came from the FBI. Notably, Steele that stated Steele’s source did not
with Steel may have been the most sier, very similar to Steele’s, from tention: that the FBI has ever investigated ments and electronic media. Page had previously met with the directly in line with the description has stated in UK court documents know the location of Cohen’s alleged
significant and memorialized com- longtime Clinton confidant Sidney “Ms. Kavalec met with Steele ten this, nor is there any additional detail The information that Sussmann FBI on March 2, 2016, in relation provided by Page in his Oct. 28, 2016, that he was instructed to speak with meeting. However, a close examina-
munications with him by a U.S. gov- Blumenthal. This “second dossier,” days prior to the issuance of the ini- or clarity provided in Kavalec’s notes. gave to Baker was related to alleged to the case of Russian spy Evgeny letter. Corn by Fusion GPS. This theory was tion of that page reveals a few tim-
ernment official prior to the issuance compiled by longtime Clinton op- tial Carter Page FISA warrant and This item, combined with Ka- communications between Alfa Bank Buryakov. Page was assisting in the All of which raises a question: first explored—to my knowledge—by ing hints, including a reference to a
of the Carter Page FISA warrant.” erative and former journalist Cody was told by Steele that he was ‘keen valec’s dispute of earlier details, and a server in Trump Tower. These case and met with FBI and SDNY Why did Steele decide to effectively an internet researcher who publishes “Reuter’s story today.”
Kavalec was mentioned dur- Shearer, echoed claims made in the to see this information [the dossier] presents a problem for the FBI. Ei- allegations, which were investigated prosecutors just nine days before go public at this time? Corn’s article under the anonymous account ‘Mon- The note reads in part:
ing the Aug. 28, 2018, testimony of Steele dossier. Winer gave Steele a come to light prior to November 8.’” ther Steele is a credible witness for by the FBI and proven false, were Buryakov pleaded guilty. Page would outed Steele’s existence and led to his sieur America’ on Jan. 25, 2019. “703 of 2044 are LLC
DOJ official Bruce Ohr, who stated copy of the “second dossier.” Steele It would seem likely that the “in- the FBI, or he isn’t. If the FBI took his widely covered in the media. not meet with the FBI again until termination as a source for the FBI On Jan. 10, 2017, BuzzFeed News Zip code - 1200 R-born residents”
that Kavalec was an “official at the then shared it with the FBI, which stitution” Steele is referring to is the information seriously, there should Baker’s testimony also shows that March 2017, in a series of five meet- in the first days of November 2016. published the Steele dossier, which On March 17, 2017, Reuters pub-
State Department and she had also, may have used it as a means to cor- Democratic National Committee, have been parallel investigations of Sussmann was speaking with the ings. He has never been charged with On Oct. 28, 2016, then-FBI Direc- created some problems, as the docu- lished an article titled, “Russian
I believe, spoken with Chris Steele roborate Steele’s own dossier. whose claims of its servers being these other, equally serious claims. If media about Alfa Bank at the same any crime. tor Comey sent a letter to Congress ment could now be readily examined elite invested nearly $100 million in
at some point. And whatever I had “J. Winer” is also listed at the top hacked by Russia have been widely this information was quickly proven time he had approached Baker, who On Oct. 28, 2016, Page sent another whereby he informed members that for inaccuracies. The dossier refer- Trump buildings.” Two quotes from
from her, I gave to the Department of notes from the meeting taken by reported. If indeed it was the DNC false, why did the FBI use Steele as noted that Sussmann told him that letter. By this time, he was under ac- he was reopening the Clinton inves- enced several sources, referring to the article:
as well, because I thought it related Kavalec. Also included are multiple that wished to have the information a primary source of evidence for the “The New York Times was aware of tive surveillance, as the FISA war- tigation in response to the discov- them as “Source A,” “Source B,” and “The analysis found that at least
to the same subject matter.” Kavalec references to former Trump cam- come out prior to the 2016 presiden- In her typed Page FISA? this.” Several significant articles rant had been obtained on Oct. 21, ery of emails contained in Anthony so on. 703 – or about one-third – of the
is misspelled as Cavilick in the Bruce paign adviser Carter Page (spelled tial election, this would seem a far The FBI told the FISA court that regarding Alfa Bank would be pub- 2016. Page references the Isikoff ar- Weiner’s laptop. During Bruce Ohr’s testimony, he owners of the 2044 units in the seven
Ohr transcript. as “Paige” in Kavalec’s typed notes); larger issue than personal wishes on notes, Kavalec Steele’s “reporting has been corrobo- lished on Oct. 31, 2016. ticle and refers to it as being “almost This event has been repeatedly revealed that Glenn Simpson had Trump buildings are limited liability
It appears that at least one meeting
between Ohr and Kavalec took place
former Trump campaign manager
Paul Manafort; Sergei Millian, who
the part of Steele.
Notably, we know from an Oct. 24,
also makes rated and used in criminal proceed-
ings and the FBI assesses [Steele] to Carter Page Reveals Steele in
entirely attributable to the ‘Hillary
for America’ campaign.”
noted as the cause for Steele’s sud-
den outreach to Corn, including in
called him on Jan. 20, 2017—Trump’s
inauguration day—conveying con-
companies, or LLCs…”
“The zip code that includes the
on or prior to Nov. 21, 2016, based on is often described as a source for 2017, response letter sent by Perkins references to be reliable.” Letter to FBI A bit later in his letter, Page The New Yorker: cern that one of Steele’s sources Sunny Isles buildings has an esti-
dates in emails from Kavalec to Ohr Steele’s dossier; former Trump law- Coie that the law firm engaged Fu- The final item covered in Kavalec’s The more fascinating sequence of dropped this bomb: “Steele was therefore shocked was about to be exposed. The likeli- mated 1,200 Russian-born residents,
in which a meeting between the yer Michael Cohen; and Russian Alfa sion GPS “to assist in its represen- leaks stemming notes from the Oct. 11, 2016, meeting events concerns Carter Page. On “I have learned from a reliable when, on October 28, 2016, Comey hood that Simpson should have this among the most in the country, U.S.
two was referenced. Ohr reiterated Bank. Interestingly, “Alfa” is spelled tation of the DNC and Hillary for with Steele concerns Sergei Millian, Sept. 23, 2016, Michael Isikoff of Ya- source that a law firm close to the sent a letter to congressional lead- knowledge was highlighted by Rep. Census data show.”
to congressional investigators that correctly in Kavalec’s notes unlike in America” in April 2016. Fusion, in from the alleged who has been reported as being a hoo News published his infamous Clinton campaign has hired a Lon- ers: the F.B.I. had come across new Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) during Ohr’s It appears that the final two pag-
he “reported the conversation to the
FBI.”
the Steele dossier, which misspelled
the institution as “Alpha.”
turn, hired Steele.
Kavalec, in her typed notes, also
hack of the DNC source in the dossier. Kavalec speci-
fies that “Per Steele, Millian is con-
article “U.S. intel officials probe ties
between Trump adviser and Krem-
don-based private investigator to
investigate my trip to Russia.”
e-mails bearing on its previously
closed investigation into Hillary
testimony:
“[H]ow would Glenn Simpson
es contained in the notes are from
March 17, 2017, unlike the earlier
On Oct. 11, 2016, Kavalec met with It seems clear from Kalevec’s notes, refers to leaks stemming from the emails. nected to Simon Kukes (who took lin,” concerning Page. Page was aware that DNC law firm Clinton’s use of a private server as know that and the intel community pages that stem from the Oct. 11,
Steele was the source for Isikoff’s Perkins Coie had hired—through Fu- Secretary of State. and the Department of Justice and 2016 meeting.
STR/AFP/Getty Images
New Tariffs Show Trump’s Determi- inflation while a 25 percent tariff on the remain-
ing $325 billion can add nearly 0.24 percentage
point to the core inflation over a year, according
to Citi’s estimates.
Friday, we will likely see a very strong negative
reaction in the U.S. equity markets if progress
is not made on the trade dispute in the coming
weeks,” he said.
nation to Squeeze China Over Trade Trump is aware of the burden on farmers
who are a critical voter group in the 2020 race.
W
Soybean farming states such as Iowa have been
among those most heavily hit by the tariff war.
U.S. stocks also tumbled after China an- I say openly to President Xi
ASHINGTON—Confidence about the U.S. China had tried delaying tactics “to see if they The United States began imposing tariffs on Chi- nounced retaliation on May 13. Both the S&P
economy has emboldened President Donald could get lucky & have a Democrat win” in the nese imports in July 2018. Together with the pre- 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell
& all of my many friends in
Trump to take a tougher stance on China, rais- 2020 U.S. presidential election. vious two rounds of tariffs, the 25 percent levy nearly 2.5 percent in early trading. Escalating China that China will be hurt
ing tariffs on May 10 to span $200 billion worth “The only problem is that they know I am going on a total of $250 billion worth of Chinese goods tensions since May 6 sent both indices down
of Chinese imports. Trump in a May 13 series of to win,” Trump wrote, citing the strong economy “is estimated to reduce China’s exports by 5.6 more than 4 percent.
very badly if you don’t make a
tweets warned, “China will be hurt very badly and jobs numbers. percent, GDP growth by 1 percentage point, and A hardened stance toward Beijing, however, deal because companies will
if you don’t make a deal.” According to analysts, Trump is emboldened employment by 4.4 million,” according to Citi. draws strong bipartisan support in Washington,
Tensions escalated between the United States by the strength of the U.S. economy and the stock In addition, businesses in China caught in the which gives Trump leeway in the trade fight
be forced to leave China for
and China the week of May 6 as Beijing back- market, as well as his enhanced reelection odds. crossfire are planning to relocate their opera- despite stock market turbulence. other countries.
tracked on delivering key structural reforms and He also is confident the U.S. economy can endure tions to avoid tariffs. A prolonged U.S.–China Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-
Trump raised tariffs on Chinese imports. A two- all retaliatory measures from China. trade war will force more companies to shift N.Y.), one of the most prominent critics of the
President Donald Trump
day meeting on May 9 and 10 between the U.S. Despite renewed tensions, Trump said the ne- their supply chain activities out of China, ac- administration in the Senate, urged Trump to
and Chinese delegates in Washington yielded no gotiations with Beijing would continue. How- cording to experts. “hang tough on China.”
trade agreement amid the rising dispute. ever, he warned the new tariffs “may or may not New tariffs also revealed the vulnerability of “Strength is the only way to win with China,”
The Chinese Finance Ministry announced on be removed depending on what happens with China’s stock market. The Shanghai Stock Ex- he wrote on Twitter on May 5. According to David Dietze, president and chief
May 13 that Beijing would raise tariffs on $60 respect to future negotiations!” change Composite Index fell nearly 6 percent investment strategist of Point View Wealth Man-
billion in U.S. goods in retaliation for Trump’s Trump also told reporters that Washington since tensions broke out. To prevent a dramatic Investor Reactions agement, the trade war is “more important to
decision to raise duties on $200 billion in Chinese was preparing to impose 25 percent tariffs on the slide, state-backed funds bought stocks to help Investors believe the United States and China ul- China than the United States.”
products to 25 percent from 10 percent. remaining $325 billion in Chinese goods, which the index rebound more than 3 percent on May timately will reach a deal. However, the markets’ “The issues and remedies are so complicated,
In a series of tweets, Trump accused China of would cover 60 percent of consumer goods im- 10. reaction is a sign that they are still concerned don’t expect this news story to get resolved any
backing out from “a great” and “almost com- ports from China, according to Citi. U.S. consumers also will suffer to some extent with the ramifications of a potential trade war. time soon,” he said, adding that he was still bull-
pleted” deal. Trump uses the threat of tariffs as part of a from the trade dispute, according to analysts. Prior to last week’s events, the U.S. stock mar- ish for the longer term.
“I say openly to President Xi & all of my many negotiation tactic to crank up the pressure on “The effect from tariffs on Chinese imports has ket had priced in a resolution of the trade dispute “The trade talks were just one part of the bull-
friends in China that China will be hurt very China, according to analysts. And in a full-blown been modest so far as tariffs focused on a smaller between Washington and Beijing, said Robert ish story. Earnings this year will be greater
badly if you don’t make a deal because com- trade war, China has more to lose economically, share of consumer goods and on goods that are Johnson, chairman and CEO of Economic Index than last year. Interest rates are far lower than
panies will be forced to leave China for other they say. easy to substitute,” Citi analysts wrote in a report. Associates and finance professor at Creighton last year and seem tethered,” he said. “The
countries,” he wrote. The new tariffs on Chinese imports will add University. American economy is much bigger than trade
In a separate tweet on May 11, Trump said Impact on China’s Economy an additional 0.03 percentage point on U.S. core “With tariffs actually being put in place on with China.”
Workers at a swimwear factory in Jinjiang, Fujian Province, China, on Aug. 2, 2018.
6 | OUR NATION Week 20, 2019 Week 20, 2019 OUR NATION |7
President Trump’s Key Meeting at Origin of Russia Probe
Giuliani identified the “convicted person” an attempt to solicit foreign help to influence
as a “gentleman by the name of Leshchenko,” the 2020 election. Giuliani dismissed the criti-
a reference to Serhiy Leshchenko, a member cism in an interview with Fox News on May 11.
of the Ukrainian Parliament. In response to “The reality is this has nothing to do with the
Lawyer Giuliani
Giuliani’s comments, Leshchenko clarified that
he was never convicted of a crime.
A Ukrainian court ruled in December last
year that the release of a “black ledger” by
election of 2020. The election of 2020 is a long
time from now. And if I wanted to meddle in
that election—which I don’t—I could have held
this for a year and dropped it right before the
Wasn’t Set-Up, Australian Ex-Diplomat Says
Cancels Ukraine Trip
Leshchenko and another Ukrainian official convention,” Giuliani said. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP/Getty Images
amounted to interference in the 2016 presi- “The reality is I came about this by accident Petr Svab
dential election in the United States. The ledger investigating Ukrainian collusion with Demo-
detailed financial transactions by then-Trump- crats to affect the election and also to create a Former Australian ambassador to
campaign Chairman Paul Manafort. Manafort false narrative against the president,” he added. the UK Alexander Downer has de-
resigned from the campaign when the ledger Speaking about the “Ukrainian collusion nied that the purpose of his 2016
surfaced. with Democrats” Giuliani specifically pointed meeting with George Papadopou-
Before Giuliani canceled his trip, Democrats to an alleged January 2016 meeting at the White los, then-adviser to the presidential
attacked Giuliani’s plan, saying it amounted to House during which, Obama administration campaign of Donald Trump, was to
officials reportedly asked Ukrainian officials to entice the aide to talk about Russian
Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images
Ivan Pentchoukov revisit an investigation into payments to Amer- meddling in the 2016 U.S. presiden-
ican citizens from Ukraine’s Russia-backed tial election.
President Donald Trump’s attorney Rudy Gi- Party of Regions. The FBI’s investigation of “I didn’t go to the meeting thinking
uliani canceled a trip to Ukraine on May 11, the payments previously led to Manafort, but he was going to even mention Rus-
saying he changed his mind after learning that the bureau dropped the investigation in 2014 sia in that context like the election
his planned meetings were set up by a group without charging him. campaign,” Downer told Sky News
of Ukrainians who are “enemies” of Trump. Giuliani added that he canceled the trip to Australia in recent interview. “I had
Giuliani originally planned to travel to avoid adding the perception of politicizing the no idea what he would say.”
Ukraine to push the nation’s leaders to carry matter. Papadopoulos has alleged that the
out two investigations: one into presidential “I will get out of it. In order to remove any Downer meeting was a set-up. The notion that
candidate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, political suggestion, I will step back and watch “The notion that Downer randomly Downer randomly
and another into the origins of the Trump–Rus- it unfold,” Giuliani said. reached out to me just to have a gin
sia probe. Giuliani first revealed his plans to The New and tonic is laughable,” Papadopou- reached out to
As vice president, Joe Biden boasted that he York Times on May 9. At the time, he defended los said in a Sept. 10, 2018, tweet. me just to have a
forced Ukraine to sack its top prosecutor. At the decision as legal and proper. “Some organization or entity sent
the time of his firing, the prosecutor was re- “We’re not meddling in an election, we’re him to meet me.” gin and tonic is
portedly investigating alleged corruption by a meddling in an investigation, which we have In his book, “Deep State Target: laughable.
company at which Hunter Biden was a board a right to do,” he told the newspaper. How I Got Caught in the Crosshairs
member. “There’s nothing illegal about it,” he added. of the Plot to Bring Down President
George Papadopoulos
“I’m not going to go because I think I’m walk- “Somebody could say it’s improper. And this Trump,” Papadopoulos argues that former foreign policy adviser
ing into a group of people that are enemies of isn’t foreign policy—I’m asking them to do an Trump’s opponents tied to the U.S., to President Donald Trump’s
the president, in some cases, enemies of the investigation that they’re doing already and Australian, and UK intelligence election campaign
United States, and in one case, an already that other people are telling them to stop. community orchestrated for Papa- George Papadopoulos, foreign policy adviser to President Donald Trump’s election campaign, arrives for his sentenc-
convicted person who has been found to be And I’m going to give them reasons why they dopoulos to receive a rumor of Krem- ing at the U.S. District Court in Washington on Sept. 7, 2018.
involved in assisting the Democrats with the shouldn’t stop it because that information will lin’s having “dirt” on then-candidate
2016 election,” Giuliani said. be very, very helpful to my client, and may turn Hillary Clinton, and then dispatched
“I think this was a setup,” he added later. out to be helpful to my government.” operatives, including Downer, to ex- foreign government that the Trump Downer said, confirming the two of a Putin audience. The girl he intro-
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani arrives in Franklin Township, Ind., on Nov. 3, 2018. tract the rumor from him and use it Campaign had received indications them and Downer’s counselor, Erika duced to Papadopoulos as a relative
as evidence of supposed conspiracy from the Russian government that it Thompson, had a gin and tonic. of Putin was actually just a student at
between Trump and Russia. could assist the Campaign through the Link Campus who, prior to that,
Downer denied that the FBI or the anonymous release of informa- Different Date worked for a liquor wholesaler in St.
any intelligence service asked him tion that would be damaging to can- Another issue is that both the Aus- Petersburg, according to Russian
Senate Subpoena of Donald Trump Jr.
to meet with Papadopoulos. didate Clinton.” tralian government and Papadopou- journalist Alexander Kalinin, who
“Somebody who is a former foreign The foreign government, pre- los said the meeting took place on researched her background.
minister and Australian high com- sumably Australia, “conveyed this May 10, not May 6. He has said this During their second meeting in
missioner, or ambassador, in Lon- information to the U.S. government on many occasions long before the London on April 26, 2016, Mifsud,
don is hardly going to be somebody on July 26, 2016,” the report stated, Mueller report came out, and told who had just returned from a trip
‘Harassment of Our Family,’
who’s used by intelligence services four days after Wikileaks started to The Epoch Times via Twitter that his to Russia, said to Papadopoulos, “I
to collect information,” Downer said, release emails allegedly hacked by lawyers will look up the relevant re- have information that the Russians
with a chuckle. “That would never Russians from the server of the Dem- cords. have thousands of Clinton emails,”
happen. That simply isn’t how those ocratic National Committee (DNC). The difference is important be- Papadopoulos later told CNN.
Lara Trump Says
kind of operations work.” Alarmed by Papadopoulos’ cause, on May 9, former Judge An- Yet Mifsud told the FBI that was a
Downer’s assertion seems to gloss supposed foreknowledge of the drew Napolitano aired a rumor on misunderstanding.
over the known hand-in-glove rela- Wikileaks release, the FBI launched Fox News that “there’s a debate going The Mueller report states that when
L
tionship between diplomacy and in- the probe. on in the Kremlin ... about whether the FBI questioned Mifsud on Feb. 10,
telligence. A secret cable sent out by But there are a number of problems they should release the 20,000 of 2017, he “denied that he had advance
Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images Clinton’s State Department in 2009, with this portrayal of the events. Mrs. Clinton’s emails that they have knowledge that Russia was in pos-
ara Trump, the wife of Eric Trump, labeled for instance, tasked diplomats to col- hacked into.” session of emails damaging to can-
the Senate Intelligence Committee’s issue of a lect a plethora of information from For all Downer knew, Papadopou- didate Clinton, stating that he and
subpoena for the president’s eldest son, Donald their interactions with United Na- Screenshot via Google Street View los could have just mentioned what Papadopoulos had discussed cyber-
Trump Jr., as “harassment of our family.” tions officials. The cable, published he heard on the news. security and hacking as a larger issue
The president’s daughter-in-law, who is also a in 2010 by Wikileaks, indicates that Papadopoulos said Thompson and that Papadopoulos must have
2020 campaign adviser, told Fox News’ “Tucker intelligence collection by the diplo- reached out to him on May 6 to ar- misunderstood their conversation.”
Carlson Tonight” that “this is over,” in refer- matic corps was already common range the Downer meeting, but he The report portrays Mifsud as a
ence to the findings of special counsel Robert practice at the time and, if anything, denied mentioning to her anything Russian cut-out, but ignores his ex-
Mueller’s report. expanding. about information “damaging” to tensive ties to high-level Western
“We know [collusion] did not happen,” she Downer, later in the interview, Clinton and there hasn’t been any politicians and government officials,
said on May 9. “Whatever they think they’re go- even called himself “somebody who public information suggesting oth- including many tied to national se-
ing to do is not going to change that. It’s not is part of the Five Eyes intelligence erwise. Moreover, he said he didn’t curity and intelligence.
going to make Hillary Clinton the president of community.” Five Eyes is the agree- meet Thompson that day. The meet- Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) ques-
the United States, like I know they all wanted ment on sharing signals intelligence ing was arranged through messages, tioned this apparent omission in a
so badly for so long.” between the United States, the UK, he said. Thompson would, therefore, May 3 letter to the heads of the FBI,
Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. have had a record of the communica- CIA, NSA, and the State Department.
The alliance has been criticized for tion. The Mueller report doesn’t refer “If Mifsud has extensive, suspicious
opening a way for the countries’ for- to any such record. contacts among Russian officials as
eign intelligence agencies to spy on In fact, the rumor about Russians portrayed in the Special Counsel’s re-
[Donald Trump Jr.] has their own citizens by outsourcing the hacking Clinton has been online at port, then an incredibly wide range
task to each other and then sharing least since May 6, 2016, when it was of Western institutions and individu-
already spent dozens of the results. posted on the blog WhatDoesItMean. als may have been compromised by
hours testifying in front of Downer also is connected to the com, which is not considered a reli- him, including our own State De-
intelligence community through the able source of original reporting. The partment,” Nunes said.
congressional committees. private sector. article was already up around 1:30 If, on the other hand, Mifsud
Endless investigations—by Between 2008 and 2014, he sat on p.m. London time so, theoretically, wasn’t a counterintelligence threat,
the advisory board of London-based Papadopoulos could have stumbled Nunes said, “then that would cast
either party—won’t change Hakluyt, a security firm founded and upon it before meeting Downer even doubt on the Special Counsel’s fun-
the fact that there was NO staffed by former UK intelligence of- The Kensington Wine Rooms bar in Issues if the meeting took place on May 6. damental depiction of him and his
ficials. London where on May 10, 2016, First, Downer described the meet- Yet, Papadopoulos actually had activities, and raise questions about
collusion. It’s time to move on. While Downer had to leave the Trump campaign adviser George ing to the media multiple times and heard the rumor from a differ- the veracity of the Special Counsel’s
It’s time to focus on ISSUES, firm before joining the Australian Papadopoulos met with Austral- never mentioned any “indications” ent source and there lies another statements and affirmations.”
Lara Trump during a Washington, D.C. He’d rather not be involved.” panel in 2017, it was agreed that he would only diplomatic corps, he continued to ian High Commissioner Alexander of Russians offering assistance to problem. The Mueller report says that Mifsud
not investigations. campaign rally hosted by The president said his son is a “good person” have to appear once, as long as he stayed as long attend the firm’s functions, includ- Downer. Trump. “falsely stated” that he hadn’t seen
President Donald Trump and brought up the “hours and hours” of testi- as necessary, which he did, the person said. ing client conferences, News Corp He said that “there was no sug- Joseph Mifsud Papadopoulos since March 24, 2016.
Kevin McCarthy, House minority leader, in a in Houston on Oct. 22, mony that he previously provided. “Don continues to cooperate by producing Australia Network reported in Janu- gestion that there was collusion” In early March 2016, right after land- Yet there’s no sign the FBI tried to
tweet 2018. “My son was totally exonerated by Mueller, documents and is willing to answer written ary 2016. between Trump or his campaign ing his job with the Trump cam- reinterview Mifsud or charge him
who doesn’t like Trump—me. And for my son, questions, but no lawyer would ever agree to with Kremlin, neither in what Pa- paign, Papadopoulos was urged by with lying. The report says that the
after being exonerated to now get a subpoena have their client participate in what is an ob- Origins Story padopoulos said, nor in what he his employer at the time, the London agents couldn’t question Mifsud ef-
The Republican-led Senate Intelligence Com- to speak again after telling everyone about a vious PR stunt from a so-called ‘Republican’ The Downer-Papadopoulos meeting reported to Canberra. “All we did Centre of International Law Practice fectively because Papadopoulos lied
mittee is investigating Russian interference in nothing meeting, I’m pretty surprised.” senator to cowardly to stand up to his boss is allegedly the crucial moment that was report what Papadopoulos (LCILP), to attend a conference at the to them.
the 2016 election. In February, the committee Asked if he would block his son from comply- Mark Warner and the rest of the resistance prompted the FBI to begin a counter- said and that was that he thought Link Campus University in Rome. Papadopoulos indeed lied about his
revealed there was no evidence of collusion be- ing with the subpoena, Trump added, “We’ll Democrats on the committee,” the source told intelligence investigation of people the Russians may release informa- There, on March 14, he met Maltese contacts with Mifsud in a January
tween the Trump campaign and Russia. see what happens.” Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs. in the Trump campaign, which tion—might release information—that academic Joseph Mifsud, whose job 2017 FBI interview. But after he was
Lara Trump said she was “shocked and ap- In March, Mueller finished his investigation only ended in March. As concluded could be damaging to Hillary Clin- was to attract foreign students for the arrested on July 27, 2017, he has ex-
palled” that committee Chairman Richard Republicans Respond into Russian interference in the 2016 election by special counsel Robert Mueller, ton’s campaign at some stage before university and who was also listed on tensively cooperated with the Muel-
Burr (R-N.C.) issued the subpoena. Burr is now House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R- and concluded that there wasn’t evidence to who took over the probe in 2017, in- the election.” the LCILP website as a board adviser. ler probe.
facing pressure from Republicans to cancel his Calif.) said it’s time for lawmakers to move past establish that any American knowingly col- vestigators didn’t establish that any Papadopoulos said he doesn’t re- Mifsud invited Papadopoulos to Mifsud was, at the time, still
subpoena against the president’s son. She noted the Russia investigations. luded with Russia. Two separate investigations, collusion between Trump and Russia member ever saying that to Downer. London under the pretext that he publicly approachable. The Italian
that Trump Jr. had already testified for hours “[Donald Trump Jr.] has already spent dozens one by the House Intelligence Committee and occurred. He was sentenced to two weeks in could help him arrange an official newspaper La Repubblica managed
last year before the same panel. of hours testifying in front of congressional another jointly by the House Oversight and Papadopoulos “opened up” to prison for lying to the FBI, but this meeting between Trump and Rus- to interview him as late as October
“This is harassment of our family, harass- committees. Endless investigations—by either Judiciary committees, also concluded there Downer in May 2016 “during a night was not one of the lies the bureau sian President Vladimir Putin. Pa- 2017, when he attended a conference
ment of the president,” she said. party—won’t change the fact that there was was no evidence of collusion. of heavy drinking” at Kensington held against him. Media blamed padopoulos thought such a meeting on cyber threat intelligence held at
President Trump, in reaction to the subpoe- NO collusion. It’s time to move on. It’s time to News of the subpoena surfaced a day after Wine Rooms in London, The New his lack of recollection on excessive would be a boon to Trump’s cam- the Link Campus.
na during a press conference on May 9—the day focus on ISSUES, not investigations,” he wrote Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R- York Times reported in December drinking that night, but both Papa- paign promise to improve relations After that, he disappeared from
after it was issued—said he “very surprised.” He on Twitter. Ky.) said that the “case is closed” about the 2017, based on information leaked by dopoulos and Downer denied getting with Russia. the public eye, but was still living
noted that Burr had changed his tone. A source close to the president’s son said he Mueller probe. “four current and former American drunk. But it was a sham. Mifsud had min- in Rome until May 2018 in an apart-
“I saw Burr saying there was no collusion testified before the Senate Intelligence Com- “Apparently, the Republican chair of the Sen- and foreign officials.” “It was only for an hour, and it was gled with Russian academia as part ment apparently provided by Link
two or three weeks ago,” he said. “I was very mittee for at least eight hours and in front ate Intel Committee didn’t get the memo from In his final report, Mueller said at six o’clock in the evening, so it was of his job and had some government Campus, according to an April 18
surprised to see my son—my son is a good per- of congressional committees for a total of 27 the Majority Leader that this case was closed,” that “on May 6, 2016, Papadopoulos certainly not as the New York Times contacts in the country, but he was report by Italian list Il Foglio.
son, he works hard. The last thing he needs is hours. When Trump Jr. testified before the Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) wrote on Twitter. “suggested to a representative of a claimed, an alcohol-fueled evening,” apparently in no position to broker It’s not clear where he’s been since.
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