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Washington Post: Kushner Tried To Set Up Secret Communications Channel With Russians

Hotline_VHS_coverThe Washington Post released a bombshell story on Friday that alleges that senior White House aide (and presidential son-in-law) Jared Kushner met withSergei Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to Washington to set up a private communications channel with the Kremlin.  The channel reportedly was sought for secret and secure and direct communications with the Russians.  Once again, there is nothing on its face unlawful about either the meeting or the desire for a secure communications line. However, the allegation (if true) would deepen the unease over the associations between the Trump camp and the Russians.  The increasing number of meetings has raised questions over why Trump officials were so solicitous to the Russians — a concern that reached its apex with Trump’s bizarre decision to entertain Kislyak and the Russian Foreign Minister in the Oval Office the day after firing former FBI Director James Comey.  Update:  After two days, the White House has been conspicuously silent.

The Post is relying on officials who leaked the results of intelligence reports on the meetings.   Reuters is also reporting that Kushner had at least three previously undisclosed contacts with Kislyak during and after the 2016 presidential campaign.

The officials told the Post that it was Kushner who suggested the use of Russian diplomatic facilities as a way to shield their pre-inauguration discussions from monitoring. That is a rather bizarre request since Trump could have asked for a secure line from U.S. officials after the election to facilitate any discussions.

Notably, Flynn was also in the meeting.

The idea of working with the Russians to create a secret line of communications would be highly alarming for U.S. intelligence officials who actively seek to monitor such communications.  Nevertheless, as I explained earlier, there is no Logan Act violation in such meetings.

There are a couple of serious questions however raised by the story (again if true). First, did Kushner reveal the contacts and particularly the effort to create a secret communication channel with the Russians as part of his security clearance?  The failure to do so would be a major violation and raise issues of false statements to the government.  Second, is there any evidence to suggest that the Russians disclosed or discussed the hacking of the email systems?  If so, statements made by Trump officials could be challenged as knowingly false or misleading, including statements made to congressional members.  Finally, it is doubtful that Kushner would simply take it upon himself to carry out such meetings.  This last question will be dangerously reminiscent: “What did the President know and when did he know it?”

Once again, as I have stated repeatedly for weeks, this alleged cover up still lacks a clear crime. The most that Jeff Toobin could come up with on CNN this week when pressed was “It’s a crime, aiding and abetting, hacking, it’s a crime.”  Sure, but it is a highly implausible crime to suggest that Trump or his associates played an active and direct role.  Section 1030 of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act makes any unauthorized access into a protected network or computer a federal crime and permits harsh penalties for those convicted.  However, there is little reason for the Russians to enlist the help or even inform Trump officials of any such effort.  Indeed, intelligence officers are trained to avoid unnecessary disclosures and to compartmentize such information.

The legal danger presented by the Post story is the degree to which it contradicts statements made to investigators or Congress.  Thus far, there has not been a great deal of such statements to investigators who only this week indicated a desire to interview Kushner.  Yet, the risk rises with these interviews for White House staff given the ever present threat of an 18 U.S.C. 1001 prosecution for false statements.

At a minimum, Kushner’s meetings with the Russians should require his recusal from White House efforts in this area, including the recently announced war room operation with Steve Bannon.

Kushner has expressed a willingness to discuss these meetings and he may deny the allegations in the Post story.  Once again, there is a presumption of innocence and the need to articulate a crime in this whole Russian mess.  Yet, the Post story again raises more questions and answers.

 

173 thoughts on “Washington Post: Kushner Tried To Set Up Secret Communications Channel With Russians”

  1. Trump is as right-wing, hypocritical, and mean-spirited as HRC or any other modern day Democrat; therefore,
    the main purpose of going after Trump/Israel is simply to weaken Trump politically in preparation for 2018 and 2020 elections.

    1. Trump is an Authoritarian opportunist.
      To say he is right wing misses several points and frankly gives people like Bill Kristol and the Kagan brothers a bad name.
      Jesus, never thought I’d be defending those stooges.

      1. Roscoe

        If Trump’s policies and proposed legislation is different than what most Democrats support, pray tell, please name a few. Calling him an Authoritarian opportunist is meaningless. How is he any different than Bill or Hillary?

        1. Bill,Right wing folks love secrecy, sleuth and stealth. They don’t veer far from the game plan laid out.
          I think the Neo-liberals like the Clinton’s do as well to help hide any suspect connections especially regarding funding counter previously preached doctrines for the masses of their supporters to consume while doing the exact opposite.

          Trump is a game wrecker and has no particular allegiance to any philosophy, especially political other than what his impulsive ass feels like dominating or worse case scenario entertaining himself with other people’s resources.

          Think Saddam without the mustache and with a tie.

          1. “Right wing folks love secrecy, sleuth and stealth.”

            Statists, then. The DNC and Hillary Clinton fit this description quite well.

    2. Makes no sense. First, there is a reason why we call it the “right”. Cuz it is.

      2018? You think the dems lost big in ’16 wait till ’18. They’ll be in the 🚽 more.

      As for 2020. Here’s what I think. Trump 2020. Pence 2024. Pence 2028.

      Come back and talk to me in 2032.

      2. Anyone can say X will win the presidency, but if you aren’t just running your mouth, you need to explain WHY you “THINK” Trump will win in 2020. Can you make a case – or only unfounded claims?

  2. Two things about JT’s ramble.

    1st …. “Yet, the Post story again raises more questions and answers.”

    Did he mean “then” instead of “and”?

    The best part of all was…
    “the story (again if true).”

    So let me see, what if Dorothy was in the “outhouse” 🚽 when the storm came and only “Toto”🐕 was in the house.
    Would Toto🐕 get a Red Rhinestone collar with magically powers?

    Ok, move along. Nothing to see here.

  5. I don’t understand why the Trump’s minions went through all this BEFORE Trump took office. It seems as though they didn’t like the “one President at a time” concept.

    1. Jay, policy is ready at hand for the President to implement way before he or she assumes the position.One of the most underrated defeats of the CAP was when Tom Daschel fell. That was an excruciating and unfortunate moment for George Soros.
      I guess with Trump’s posse they didn’t know all of the minutiae of the law to be able to not draw obvious attention from the insider group of losers.

      Here’s an example:
      https://newrepublic.com/article/137798/important-wikileaks-revelation-isnt-hillary-clinton

  6. It is early in the morning on Saturday. I just trolled down the comments and jeso there is this really ugly photo of Hillary up a few comments. The Russians must have taken that photo because it was the photos that caused her defeat. I printed a copy of today’s photo and put it in front of the rat hole so that the rats would be afraid to come and go. Like Bill. He was afraid to come and go. So, he goes. And it goes on and on. But it is better than the reverse because that is how we got Chelsea.

  7. Time to bury the hatchet. Gov. Chris Christie denies rift with Jared Kushner. Got the warm & fuzzies.

    Christie was New Jersey’s U.S. attorney when he prosecuted Kushner’s father, real estate developer Charles Kushner, for tax evasion, witness tampering and illegal campaign donations in the mid-2000s. Charles Kushner spent two years in federal prison.

    There have been reports over the past year of lingering animosity between Christie and Jared Kushner — who, like the governor, grew up in Livingston. Some reports citing anonymous sources said Kushner, 36, was instrumental in keeping Christie from becoming vice president and U.S. attorney general.

    2. You’re comparing these mutts with the JFK, this incompetence with the Cuban missile crisis!!!! You must have swallowed what Trump squirted. Unfortunately this explains America these days.

      1. Remember pal it was a Russian board a Soviet submarine officer that prevented the use of nuclear torpedoes, not JFK, RFK or McNamara’s brilliance.
        What explains America these days is we are sick and tired of the way we are governed.

        1. A dupe is a dupe is a dupe is a dupe. A Russian whatever, it was JFK that dealt the hand. Kennedy took some punches from the Soviets but the Cuban missile crisis solution belonged to him. The one thing you didn’t get that we now endure from the fish mouth is the incessant chest beating. Trump is a megalomaniac in search of a justification for his ego. He is nothing, never was.

          The one thing you have now with Kushner and Trump is that, regardless of their lies, they are first and foremost billionaire businessmen who both inherited their wealth and privilege and are now playing at running the greatest country on earth. Think about it; the first stop on their priority list regarding important decisions is their holdings and what will result to their personal and corporate fortunes. Both Trump and Kushner are billionaires that pander to the mega wealthy first and servants (?) to the citizens last, not second but last as there are many other mega wealthy involved. The dupes that voted these mutts into office actually think that these self centered ego maniacs have the average citizen’s best interests in mind. That is the clearest and most accurate definition of a dupe that was ever developed.

          That voters actually voted for this self serving mega millionaire can only be explained by some people’s desire to be ruled by royally or despots-hoping they are benevolent. The people who voted for Trump would have been the same ones that opted to stay with King George during the revolution, not enough brains to think for themselves.

          1. Your post easily applies to Hillary Clinton.

            Recall my post prior to the election alluding to Buford’s soliloquy, with the substitution:

            “The elites have the high ground.”

            1. Hillary was not born into wealth and privilege. She does not have as her entire career her own mega fortune building. The Clintons and almost all the rest in Washington kow tow to the oligarchs. The difference is that Trump is the main oligarch. Nothing passes through his mind that doesn’t pass muster with making him and his few percent pals richer. Trump has no history whatsoever with the average citizen. Clinton, as bad as she is, came from the ranks of the ordinary citizen. Regardless of her faults, Clinton is self made. Trump was born that way.

  10. citizens from a number of different perspectives able to the ‘kick over’ the appie cart of the left and it’s pollsters

  11. I noticed the headline was supported in part by some claims to Reuters but that part had nothing to do with the unsupported claims of the headline which only had the usual WaPo and unknown persons. How gullible are you?

  12. “the allegations if true.’

    When some truth is found with legitimate sources other than the Washington Post and the DNC it will be worth discussing. Until then it’s just ..nothing.

    Remember when serious meaninful subjects were discussed here? Not the rantings of the mobocracy?

    When people did not shy away from commenting on or contributing to something other than snowflake mentalities of the mensheviks? Now it’s back on the level of discourse it deserves.

    And now we see comments fromt he Chief Republican In Name Only former commander of the Cave On Command Corps Mt. Boehner given space as if he was somebody worth listening to other than a cheap shill of the fascist left.

    Those of us in the center had zero representation other than manybe 15 or 20 Senators and a handful of Representatives. We had and have no party yet we were as self governing citizens from a number of different perspectives able to the appie cart of the left and it’s pollsters

    Still aren’t included in the polls
    Still aren’t represented except for a handful
    And still have to continue in full blown Counter revolution mode.

    I guess 40% of those voting isn’t considered worthy of recognition.and the move back to the one part system of government is back in full swing.

    So be it.

    You will get what you asked for.

  13. I think you are looking at this from the wrong perspective… I believe Putin (and the rest of the world) believed Hillary would win. The motive of the Russians was to cast doubt on Hillary as the president, with Trump and Co. leaking bad information and stories.

    But to everyone’s surprise, Trump won and now all of the leaks and negative press are about his shady dealings with the Russians who never thought he would win and therefore their contacts would never come to light.

    Now Trump and Co. are stuck between the US law/Intel Agencies/FBI, etc. and the Russians.

    1. “The motive of the Russians was to cast doubt on Hillary Clinton?”
      So you believe Rep Waters were she says the Russians came up with the term “crooked Hillary”? Did anyone pay attention to the SIZE of Trumps campaign rallies compared to Hillary’s?
      Hillary coined the term ‘crooked Hillary’, all by herself. Just ask the Bernie supporters.

      https://youtu.be/kypl1MYuKDY

        1. Mike Kelly let me ask you to look at these two scenarios which I believe would bring some redemption for your feality to Her Majesty and then answer the questions at the end I pose.

          1) Trump gets impeached
          2) He resigns

          Is there going to be any legislation that he signed into law or any appointments he made going to be overturned?

          Are the election results going to be overturned?

          Isn’t this hysteria going to brand the HRC wing of the Democrats as paranoid pariahs?

          How can the next administration if it were to be a Democrat trust that the Intel agencies won’t tattle on them as well for every little misstep that they don’t approve of?

          Can you honestly believe that the vote count was manipulated by a foreign source and our Intel agencies wouldn’t have stepped in insight of their current pent ion for playing by their rules?

          1. If Flynnn and Kushner violated the espionage act they should do the time. Think calling it hysteria at this point in time is bogus. There is way to much smoke. Wonder who the whistle blower in the Trump administration was that sent the letter to the Washington Post. Trump may never be impeached but it is looking more and morel like some of his staff will do some time.

            1. Many people think it was a Chris Christie staff member that blew the whistle on the Kushner crime family.

              1. Maybe Bannon floated the note .He appears to be clean with regards to the Ruskies.

            2. ” Trump may never be impeached but it is looking more and morel like some of his staff will do some time.”
              And that will change what?
              Look man, Hillary lost. Rinse and repeat.
              Hillary lost.

              1. Does not make Trump less of a crook. One crook lost .One crook won. Think I would rather be in her and her families shoes at this point in time. Will Jared flip on poppy in law?

          2. Whether Jared committed a crime or not has NOTHING to do with Hillary Clinton.

            1. Jared Shmared, he’s disposable and at the end of the day Trump will remain President and HRC will not.
              Reality regardless.
              Jared Kushner was not on any ballot that I remember.
              I know, But, But, But. . . .

        2. Are you saying that because he is Jewish? Is that why you are stuck on him?

      2. Yes, the Russians thought Hillary was going to win and by pushing various “fake news” stories and having Trump repeat the lie the election was fixed “if he lost”. All of the lies and divisiveness​ have backfired in Putin and Trump’s​ face.

        Putin got exactly what he wanted, minus the fact, the doubt has been cast on Trump and not Hillary.

  14. Okay, nothing illegal here. So, what is the problem, except WaPo wants Trump impeached?

      1. Yeah, what was that guy’s name whose father was President?
        Right.
        What was the name of Jack Kennedy’s attorney General?
        Right.
        What’s the name of that family in Missouri with a Senator, Blunt?
        Right.

  16. Why is it “bizarre” when he talks to the Russians, but not Netanyahu?

      1. See, that didn’t take long.
        There is no way one can be sane and insinuate that screaming the Russians are Coming! The Russians are Coming! is in the slightest bit just a tad paranoid.

        HRC’s loss, especially to Trump was probably the greatest stimulant to the psych therapy industry ever.

        Any deviation from anything but pure redemption for the miserable failure of herself and the sycophants surround her and her real supporters is apostate.

        Shall I?

    2. The world lacks sanity, especially here in the comments of Jonathan Turley’s blog.

    3. Savage, you’re right and it is in fact bizarre that individuals at the Intel agencies are leaking info to undermine our government.

      That strikes me as the exact reason we have Intel agencies to prevent that from happening.

      After all if we fold ourselves from inside than we have been wasting a lot of money to defend ourselves from ourselves.That’s really sad if the people in charge of that information provenance decide who they do and don’t prefer as our leaders.

      Yeah, were doomed

      OR

      I love the smell of treason in the morning.

      Your 13 little word question says it all.

    4. Exactly. We have been talking to Russia ever since perastrokia. We have been working with Russia ever since we opened up our FBI office in Moscow in the 1990’s. To monitor world wide terrorism. We invest all over the world with oil production, etc,
      Nobody can figure out we’re this deranged Left wing war chant came from in the last 2 years, not even little President Bush was this scary, but the Dems have taken WW3 to a whole new level.

      https://ru.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulates/moscow/sections-offices/fbi/

  18. “Once again, as I have stated repeatedly for weeks, this alleged cover up still lacks a clear crime.”

    Wrong again, Professor. It lacks clear cut EVIDENCE of a crime. We don’t know yet if a crime was committed. But it sure smells bad, really bad. Odiferous way beyond the normal stink of regular politics. Once again, you understate the level of the stench.

    People think that, just because the CIA dislikes the President, that the whole “Russia thing” is false. They don’t consider the possibility that all of the following could be true 1) the CIA and others within the government are out to get Trump and are not going to play by the rules in their effort to get Trump, 2) The Russians took significant steps to influence the US election, and 3) Trump and his minions violated the law.

    I’m not saying that all three are true. I don’t know, just like no one posting here knows. But lots of folks talk as if it has to be “one or the other.” That is simply not the case. It could be “all of the above.”

    Trump is all about Trump (and his family and friends). He would do anything to line his own pockets and stroke his own ego if he could get away with it. He has no morals or scruples. Anything that he does which is beneficial to others outside of his circle of family and friends is a mere coincidence. Those people who believe that he is out to help them make their lives better are wrong. I understand why they followed the Lemming in Chief. But they are wrong.

  19. When every secret presidential communication ends up on the front page of the Post and NYT it seems reasonable to want a secure system that doesn’t go thru our Intelligence Community. They leak like a sieve.

    1. Our president tells the Russians sensitive intelligence information and fills the president of the Philippines in about the secret placement of our nuclear subs and our intelligence community leads like a sieve! Ha, ha, ha! The Trump regime isn’t setting up secret communications to protect American secrets!

  20. The key word here is secret. Same reason Betsy DeVos’ baby brother, Erik Prince, went to the Seychelles. If, in fact, Trump’s son-in-law attempted to establish this secret channel, it leaves little doubt that not only was Trump aware but this collusion was carried out at his personal direction.

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