Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and a senior White House adviser, said on Monday he “did not collude” with Russia and had roughly four meetings with Russian officials during the 2016 campaign and presidential transition.
In a written statement released ahead of his scheduled appearance before lawmakers in closed-door sessions, Mr. Kushner said his initial security clearance form had been submitted prematurely in error and had omitted all foreign contacts.
“I did not collude, nor know of anyone else in the campaign who colluded, with any foreign government,” Mr. Kushner said. “I had no improper contacts. I have not relied on Russian funds to finance my business activities in the private sector.”
Mr. Kushner faces two days of closed-door questioning from Congress as lawmakers try to determine whether the Trump campaign enlisted Russia’s help to win last year’s election.
Dogged by allegations
Mr. Kushner was scheduled to address the Senate Intelligence Committee at 10 a.m. EDT (7.30 p.m. IST) on Monday and the House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on Tuesday.
Mr. Trump has been dogged by allegations that his campaign aides worked with Russia, which U.S. intelligence agencies have accused of interfering in the election. Moscow has denied any interference, and Mr. Trump says his campaign did not collude with Moscow.
The Republican President has said the Russia probes in Congress and the Justice Department are politically motivated. In a tweet on Monday morning, Mr. Trump lashed out at the ongoing investigations. “So why aren't the Committees and investigators, and of course our beleaguered A.G., looking into Crooked Hillarys crimes & Russia relations?” he added.
Mr. Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr. released e-mails this month that showed Trump Jr. appeared to welcome the prospect of damaging information from Kremlin about Ms. Clinton.
Members of both committees say they are eager to hear about the June 2016 meeting involving Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya. Mr. Kushner and former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort were also at the meeting.
Mr. Kushner described it as a waste of time. “I actually emailed an assistant from the meeting after I had been there for ten or so minutes and wrote ‘Can u pls call me on my cell? Need excuse to get out of meeting.’”
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