Jared Kushner and Russia’s ambassador to Washington discussed the possibility of setting up a secret and secure communications channel between Trump’s 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 Sergey Kislyak reported to his superiors in Moscow that Kushner, son-in-law and confidant to then-President-elect Trump, 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, Trump’s first national security adviser.
This article is a bit old, but considering the constant MAGA whines of “No Russian collusion!!!” it is important to remember who was actually running our government for 4 years.
I think it will take decades to figure out just how much damage Trump and his ilk did to our national security.
Probably also because several high ranking security officials were and are still loyal to Trump and are trying to keep much of this stuff under wraps
Which makes them a part of a criminal conspiracy, another reason for the continued secrecy and lack of investigations.
It wasn’t that long ago that this kind of conspiracy would land someone in prison for the rest of their life.
In 1994 Aldrich Ames, a CIA case officer was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for being a Russian agent. He certainly had far, far less access to classified information than Trump, Kushner and Flynn.
But in his case, there was proof that and what information he shared, right? Because right now, I don’t think there’s (public) information on what Trump’s government gave the russians
In the case of Ames, yes there was.
From Wikipedia
The CIA also realized that, despite Ames’ annual salary being $60,000, he could afford:
A $540,000 house in Arlington, Virginia, paid for in cash
A $50,000 Jaguar luxury car
Home remodeling and redecoration costs of $99,000
Monthly phone bills exceeding $6,000, mostly calls by Ames’ wife to her family in Colombia
Premium credit cards, on which the minimum monthly payment exceeded his monthly salary
In March 1993, the CIA and FBI began an intensive investigation of Ames that included electronic surveillance, combing through his trash and the installation of a monitor in his car to track his movements. From November 1993 until his arrest, Ames was kept under virtually constant physical surveillance. When, in early 1994, he was scheduled to attend a conference in Moscow, the FBI believed it could wait no longer, and he and his wife were arrested on February 21
not a bright fella was he?
Somehow it’s always the people you most expect.
“according to intercepts of Russian communications that were reviewed by U.S. officials.” !
Wow. Very interesting.
“Russia at times feeds false information into communication streams it suspects are monitored as a way of sowing misinformation and confusion among U.S. analysts.”
That was my thought too.
The White House disclosed the meeting…
The White House literally confirmed this meeting happened.
Wow look at that reaction! You guys think I’m a MAGA or something because I quoted this?
Inofficial channels like this are a not an unusual thing generally, no?
Not on this scale, not with such hostile governments, not with such sensitive information, not in this kind of secrecy and not in such an unprofessional manner.
Have you heard of the Cuban Missile Crisis?
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2017/05/john-f-kennedy-had-a-russian-back-channel.html
The meeting described above took place in 1960, and the “close adviser” was the incoming president’s brother, Robert F. Kennedy. It is not unusual for the Russians to want to establish contacts with an incoming presidential administration, especially when there is tension between the two countries.
Yes it is.
