Russian ambassador told Moscow that Kushner wanted secret communications channel with Kremlin
Source: Washington POst
Jared Kushner and Russias ambassador to Washington discussed the possibility of setting up a secret and secure communications channel between Trumps transition team and the Kremlin, using Russian diplomatic facilities in an apparent move to shield their pre-inauguration discussions from monitoring, according to U.S. officials briefed on intelligence reports.
Ambassador Sergei Kislyak reported to his superiors in Moscow that Kushner, then President-elect Trumps son-in-law and confidant, made the proposal during a meeting on Dec. 1 or 2 at Trump Tower, according to intercepts of Russian communications that were reviewed by U.S. officials. Kislyak said Kushner suggested using Russian diplomatic facilities in the United States for the communications.
The meeting also was attended by Michael Flynn, Trumps first national security adviser.
The White House disclosed the fact of the meeting only in March, playing down its significance. But people familiar with the matter say the FBI now considers the encounter, as well as another meeting Kushner had with a Russian banker, to be of investigative interest.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/russian-ambassador-told-moscow-that-kushner-wanted-secret-communications-channel-with-kremlin/2017/05/26/520a14b4-422d-11e7-9869-bac8b446820a_story.html
If THIS doesn't generate a tweetstorm...
BumRushDaShow
(128,925 posts)As an edit - Seth Abramson had a series of tweets back in March that laid out some of the timeline and included the below that may be related to the OP-
Link to tweet
Leghorn21
(13,524 posts)Or - whatever
L. Coyote
(51,129 posts)He was only pushing other people's stories to begin with and had some useful mega-threads (which I even posted), but he's fallen off the radar lately a la Greenwald.
Link to tweet
Link to tweet
Link to tweet
BumRushDaShow
(128,925 posts)was from one of the "mega threads" (from back in March).
I think the gist being the issue of the Rosneft & CITCO (which I have seen in regular news articles) and how that might tie in to those December "meetings" and the (apparently) clandestine comings and goings of Kislyak. I think the other names associated with that (Flynn & Page & Manafort) were pretty much established but having Kushner in that mix is interesting (although perhaps not unexpected given his direct obvious link to Drumpf). I.e., he appears to be the "trusted" lieutenant in handling the affairs of the TFEE.
L. Coyote
(51,129 posts)con·si·glie·re
noun: consigliere; plural noun: consiglieri
an adviser, especially to a crime boss.
Of course, the crime boss calls the consigliere his buffer.
BumRushDaShow
(128,925 posts)calimary
(81,238 posts)I remember on "The West Wing" they referred to it as "Take Out the Trash Night".
But the whole premise for that is long gone.
Used to be if you had some - um - less-than-flattering info that had to be released, and you needed to do it at the most strategically protected time, you released it late Friday afternoon or into Friday evening. Because the network news shows were over by then, and the weekend was coming and nobody aired much in terms of news coverage. Maybe the Weekend Nightly News or some such thing - so there's a mere half-hour on Saturday evening and another one on Sunday evening. Which means probably about 20 minutes of actual news content because of the commercial load on each of those half-hour programs. So the expectation was - by the time the news shows could sink their teeth into those stories, it'd be Monday morning and nobody'd care that much about what had happened the previous Friday afternoon. It probably wouldn't even lead the newscast.
So THAT'S when you wanted to drop bad news about your operations into the public pool.
Well, that's NOT how it is anymore! The news goes on, and these days, the news goes on IN EARNEST. I notice on MSNBC, for example, that stupid cheap-ass "Lockup" programming has been starting later and later and later. Hell, on some weekends, it hasn't run AT ALL. Because there's so much news to cover. Their default these days, when there may not be quite as much, is a rerun of the Friday evening block of Hayes/Maddow/O'Donnell. We NEVER saw that. NEVER. Til just recently, that is.
BumRushDaShow
(128,925 posts)and you can tell the level of "crisis" when every day is a "news dump" and weekends aren't stifling the hits much anymore.
calimary
(81,238 posts)with all those shows either extended, or replayed, or more live anchors and producers and bookers and writers and techies needed for more live coverage, all that means to me is more people getting more pay. They're all gonna have to put in for more overtime, and in a situation like this, management really can't say no.
I had visions of the bureau chief or executive producer calling out for a big order of Chinese food or directing the assignment editor to go ahead and call some staffers at home and get 'em in here. All hands on deck. That's what happened at the AP in LA on election night or when covering a hot story - like the LA riots or the OJ "slow-speed chase" and verdict. There'd be local newspaper people in there and stringers in there and regional TV people in there and other professional brother/sister guests and fellow travelers. Suddenly, on an otherwise ordinary night, there was standing room only in the newsroom, people doubling up on work stations, every TV monitor everywhere was not only on but had several pairs of eyes on it, all the phone lines had people on them, and photo guys were racing around everywhere. And the whole conference room table was covered, end-to-end, with freshly-delivered Chinese food, ordered by the bureau chief (who himself was staying on duty long past when he'd usually call it a day at the end of the week). LOVED that guy! Our bureau chief was COOL!
Breaking stories were AMAZING events to be part of, even on a side-bar level. Even better than Oscar night - which, every year, was a pretty amazing scene in and of itself.
BumRushDaShow
(128,925 posts)is that when they go live coverage on these breaking stories, they often stop running commercials, so that would probably mean the running around rescheduling them (or perhaps reimbursing).
I remember 9/11 when the networks literally ran 24/7 from that Tuesday all the way until I think late Friday night or Saturday morning with no break and no commercials.
dalton99a
(81,482 posts)The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,683 posts)Cattledog
(5,914 posts)wildeyed
(11,243 posts)Never a slow news day in Trump's America..... Kushner suggested a plot so brazen and corrupt, that even the Russians were like, Dude! No! That's crazy!
DUgosh
(3,056 posts)No words
blitzen
(4,572 posts)Any repuke congressperson who aids, abets, or obstructs the prosecution of Kushner ought to be impeached or charged with treason themselves.
Calista241
(5,586 posts)There's nothing illegal about setting up a backchannel. Unless Kislyak actually said what Trump wanted, and if what he wanted was criminal, then its all just a conversation between future political powers.
And this leak, if it's true, is very compromising to our intelligence community. The Russians will almost surely patch this compromised communications channel and we won't be able to continue monitoring them in this fashion.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,683 posts)Kislyak, besides being an ambassador, is a big kahuna in the Russian intelligence system (a major spy recruiter, it's said). It will depend on what kind of information, if any, passed between them. Why would they want this channel of communication to be secret if it was all on the up-and-up?
Ccarmona
(1,180 posts)That's the crime, even though his lawyers say it was an "error." Lying on that form is five years in prison.
SergeStorms
(19,201 posts)trying to use the, "it was an error" defense when dealing with the IRS? "I didn't report that $500,000 I got in "tips" last year". It was an honest error, I wasn't trying to hide it from the IRS".
I'm certain the IRS would be very understanding about that "error".
Kablooie
(18,634 posts)There's certainly something very, very, very underhanded about this since it is coming from President elect's office.
Madam45for2923
(7,178 posts)onetexan
(13,040 posts)blitzen
(4,572 posts)Hard to spin that into anything other than it being investigated as criminal...But y'all are still blaming the so-called leaker. Ridiculous. Trump is incessantly leaking everything everywhere all the time. But the sources telling what they know to the press are not leaflets, they are whistle blowers. And probably the most important and truly patriotic whistle blowers in the past several decades.
SunSeeker
(51,550 posts)I mean, why have an enemy nation's spy service set up the back channel?! Why not have our intelligence community set it up? It is this fucked up grifter hotline that Jared tried to set up that is compromising the intelligence community, not a leaker who exposed the treachery. JESUS H. CHRIST.
Calista241
(5,586 posts)Has that been proven? Nope. And it's not like this meeting took place in a dark alley with no witnesses, it happened at Trump Tower. Kislyak went through the Secret Service to get into that meeting.
I swear, if people here found out Trump farted at dinner, people would want to see him jailed. When you scream out "JAIL HIM!" And "impeach everyone", you better have a good, provable, convincing reason. Kushner holding a meeting in the President Elect's offices isn't any of that stuff.
JustAnotherGen
(31,819 posts)Was a criminal act by Kushner.
We chip away at 45 one by one in his inner circle. It's not complicated. Maybe he will stroke out if we keep it up.
SunSeeker
(51,550 posts)We want him impeached for obstruction of justice, treason, bribery and money laundering. You insulting us and equating those serious offenses to an inconsequential fart says a lot about you.
displacedtexan
(15,696 posts)Covert communication with a hostile nation using Russian cryptographic measures is a very serious crime, according to Malcolm Nance.
SunSeeker
(51,550 posts)All of which Jared tried to enable with this grifter-spy hotline.
onenote
(42,700 posts)I ask because I don't see any provision of the Act that would be the likely basis for a prosecution of Kushner based on what has been reported.
And whether or not Russia is a "hostile" nation isn't necessarily the standard under the Espionage Act -- it's whether the person disclosing information does it with the intent to harm the US.
alcibiades_mystery
(36,437 posts)Multiple felonies. He asked that comms be run through Russian diplomatic facilities, i.e., out of the proverbial Rezidentura.
Are you fucking daft?
George II
(67,782 posts)...and apparently Kushner hadn't gotten any security clearance yet.
A private citizen trying to make deals with a foreign government, particularly an adversarial foreign government, is illegal.
sheshe2
(83,751 posts)Why Russia's?
And why the hell is there so much communications with the Russians by team trump in the first place? This smells.
not fooled
(5,801 posts)had something to do with bringing this story to life. Revenge on his archrival Jarhead?
blitzen
(4,572 posts)than we imagined. As in way worse than the worst traitors in our history.
Control-Z
(15,682 posts)Sneaking in and out the back of maggot Tower and other public places to hold their secret meetings was getting tiresome.
"...Kushner, President-elect Trumps son-in-law and confidant, made the proposal during a meeting on Dec. 1 or 2 at Trump Tower, according to intercepts of Russian communications... "
pepperbear
(5,648 posts)which many politicians, including mike pence, have used.
oh, and there was nothing on the server.
and there was no attempt on clinton's part to secretly communicate with a "hostile" government.
which one spells "criminal" to you?
FailureToCommunicate
(14,014 posts)OliverQ
(3,363 posts)Saying it's good for the campaign to open up communications with the Russians.
renate
(13,776 posts)He makes my skin crawl. He's the human embodiment of the sound of nails on a chalkboard. It's not just because he's stupid and says stupid things... he's just extra weird.
pnwmom
(108,977 posts)SunSeeker
(51,550 posts)Fucking traitorous grifters.
Amaryllis
(9,524 posts)NastyRiffraff
(12,448 posts)I think it's past time.
C_U_L8R
(45,002 posts)The Trump team seems awfully close to espionage/treason/someweirdshit
angrychair
(8,698 posts)TRUMP TOOK AN OWNERSHIP SHARE IN A RUSSIAN CORPORATION AND GOT HACKER AID TO WIN ELECTION IN TEADE FOR LIFTING SANCTIONS ON RUSSIA...WHICH IS IS ON THE VERGE OF DOING AS WE READ THIS
benld74
(9,904 posts)Just check their eyes
Cold
Dead
Strump daughter fell for Kushner because he is LIKE her father!!
OnDoutside
(19,956 posts)Funny how it follows Gary Cohn's statement that sanctions might be increased.
pnwmom
(108,977 posts)would have had ZERO interest in pushing the idea that Jared was colluding with them.
OnDoutside
(19,956 posts)Comms channel has been compromised.
bagimin
(1,333 posts)SummerSnow
(12,608 posts)democratisphere
(17,235 posts)MFM008
(19,808 posts)Why would any American want a back channel or secret communications with the former Soviet Union?
Response to brooklynite (Original post)
MattP This message was self-deleted by its author.
BigmanPigman
(51,590 posts)Maybe "God" gave them a heads up on what was coming down the pike.
MelissaB
(16,420 posts)videohead5
(2,172 posts)One of Trump's servers was communicating with a Russian bank.
Chicago1980
(1,968 posts)SunSeeker
(51,550 posts)riversedge
(70,205 posts)The Baxter Bean? @TheBaxterBean
BREAKING: Trump campaign tried to evade U.S. intelligence agencies by using Russian communications systems w/ Russia
Link to tweet
Achilleaze
(15,543 posts)ButSeeYa
(273 posts)Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(107,957 posts)Enoki33
(1,587 posts)start putting country before power and party?.
Dorn
(523 posts)Treason treason, treason treason treason, treason.
Treason!
jimlup
(7,968 posts)Wow! If nothing else the news stream is amusing...
CONN
(272 posts)and, ironically, this was the system JK wanted to use for "back-channel communications"
this is a disaster for the USA.
Tatiana
(14,167 posts)I'm pretty sure the source for this information has already been plugged. I think the IC is trying to force Trump and Kushner into a state of paranoia. As Malcolm Nance puts it, the goal is for them to start getting "buggy." Imagine if someone reported on every single thing you did on random days -- who you talked to, what you ate, even when you thought you were in private. You start suspecting everyone and eventually, your paranoia leads you to slip up.
The leaks will continue until the spooks have the evidence they need. I'm fairly certain Kushner is going to be charged with something.
Blue_Roses
(12,894 posts)but I think there is more to this than what we are seeing here. Just a gut feeling that all is not as it appears.
Buckeye_Democrat
(14,853 posts)DeminPennswoods
(15,286 posts)and wanting better relations with them. It was a main campaign theme. During the transition they could have easily established a transparent front channel through the State Dept. After Jan 20, the WH could have all the contact with Russia they wanted since they were in charge of the govt and foreign affairs. But trying to set up communications in the Russian Embassy using Russian communication equipment to bypass all of America and its gov't? That's John LeCarre' level spy stuff.
But, imho, with Trump, his family and his inner circle, it's all about the money. There is no loyalty or patriotism involved. I've thought all along Russia/Russians have financial hooks in the Trumps and that's what driving all the secrecy. It's why he won't release his taxes or other financial information and probably why he won't divest from his business.
BumRushDaShow
(128,925 posts)It is the real life version of this -
Stuart G
(38,421 posts)Danascot
(4,690 posts)Because a high-level Russian spy isn't likely to spill those tidbits to the the press. I wondered about this question and found the answer in an Atlantic article.
"It came to the attention of American officials through intercepts of Russian communications in which Kislyak relayed the request to his superiors in Moscow"
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/05/kushner-kislyak-flynn-trump/528402/
orangecrush
(19,547 posts)This is bigly.