Reports: FBI looking at White House advisor Jared Kushner

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Reports: FBI looking at White House advisor Jared KushnerJared Kushner

According to U.S. media reports the FBI’s investigation into Russia’s alleged interference with the 2016 presidential election has expanded into the West Wing.

CGTN’s Nathan King reports.
Follow Nathan King on Twitter@nathanking

President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner is now believed to be under scrutiny. Kushner now appears to be the only current White House official being investigated ,he’s also be the only Trump family member known to be under scrutiny.

The investigation into Kushner is reportedly centering on meetings he had with the Russian ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak, in April and December 2016.

He also met with the CEO of a Russian bank under U.S. sanctions over Ukraine. The bank also has close ties to Russia’s leadership.

At the moment, Jared Kushner is not accused of any wrongdoing and his lawyer Jamie Gorelick, issued this statement
“Mr. Kushner previously volunteered to share with Congress what he knows about these meetings. He will do the same if he is contacted in connection with any other inquiry.”

Kushner – who is intensely private and rarely speaks in public or to the press – is, however, nearly always by the President’s side. Kushner is his father-in-law’s right hand man—given vast responsibilities over foreign affairs, restarting the Middle East peace process and streamlining government.

Like others in the Trump administration, Kushner left some of his contacts with Russian officials off his security clearance forms. The former U.S. National Security Advisor, Michael Flynn, and Attorney General Jeff Sessions also omitted meetings – and details of meetings – with Russian officials from their forms. Flynn is reportedly under investigation, as are, Paul Manafort the former campaign manager and Carter Page a former foreign policy advisor.

Jeff Sessions, the current attorney general, said he had no contacts with the Russians during his confirmation hearing-then admitted he did. Sessions then recused himself from the ongoing investigations.
On May 9th , President Trump fired FBI chief Jim Comey who was leading the investigation – and a special counsel has been appointed to lead it.  The probe spread even further.

Jared Kushner, who had been travelling with U.S. President Donald Trump on his first foreign trip, is now back in the U.S.

Meghan Leonard on reports Kushner being looked at by FBI