Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

“The Statement of the Offense included important new details, including that Flynn was directed by a senior transition official to contact Russian officials in an effort to influence Russia’s response to the Obama Administration’s imposition of sanctions and the UN Security Council resolution vote on Israeli settlements, and, crucially, that he reported back to transition officials.” (US Congressman Schiff).

The Israeli settlement issue is especially interesting, considering that Trump and Jared Kushner have been friends for decades with Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu, as was Trump’s father and Kushner’s parents. Netanyahu is very pro-settlement, as are Trump mega-donors Sheldon and Miriam Adelson, who also support Netanyahu. Trump and Kushner have both given big to Jewish groups which directly or indirectly support Israeli settlements on Palestinian land. Furthermore, constructing Israeli housing, and more, on Palestinian land could be a real estate and/or hotel-casino bonanza for the Trumps, Kushners, Cordishes, and Adelsons. Both the construction and casinos could act as covers for money-laundering, including for some Russian oligarchs-mafia members.

From the House Intel Committee, Democrats-Adam Schiff:
“Intel Committee Ranking Member Schiff Statement on Flynn Plea
Washington, December 1, 2017 | 0 comments
Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), the Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement:

“The significance of today’s plea deal by former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, in which he pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with the Special Counsel, cannot be overstated.

The Statement of the Offense included important new details, including that Flynn was directed by a senior transition official to contact Russian officials in an effort to influence Russia’s response to the Obama Administration’s imposition of sanctions and the UN Security Council resolution vote on Israeli settlements, and, crucially, that he reported back to transition officials.


“Flynn’s lies to the FBI are especially significant because they were made at a time when he was serving as President Trump’s National Security Advisor, a position of incredible importance and responsibility, and one integral to the safety of the nation.  Flynn’s decision to admit to these lies and cooperate with the Special Counsel occurred, if press reports are to be believed, with the backdrop of broad legal exposure by Flynn, in addition to his son.


“The action today by the Special Counsel is another indication of the thoroughness and professionalism of Robert Mueller and his team, who have been methodically working towards identifying and prosecuting potential criminal acts.

We hope that the cooperation of General Flynn that Special Counsel has secured as a part of this plea agreement extends to Flynn’s cooperation with our committee, as his testimony could greatly advance our efforts. Our investigation in Congress is not only looking at the actions of individuals affiliated with the Trump campaign, but is also examining the broader issues of how the Russians worked to undermine our election and what steps we as a nation can take to harden our electoral process in future.


“The plea secured by Mueller may prompt the White House and its allies to seek to curtail congressional investigations, as President Trump has attempted to do already, or end the Special Counsel’s work prematurely. Congress must make it clear that this would not be acceptable, that we will continue doing a diligent and thoughtful investigation, and do everything in our power to ensure the independence of the Special Counsel.” https://democrats-intelligence.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=331

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren comment on Facebook:
“President Trump’s National Security Advisor pled guilty to a federal crime relating to his contacts with the Russian Government. This is not normal. This is not fake news. This is a serious threat to the national security of the United States. Flynn’s admission underscores the importance of the Special Prosecutor. No one is above the law – NO ONE. The American people deserve to know the truth.” Her web site is here: https://www.warren.senate.gov

Trump already had important Russian ties so that the only reason that the “bumping”, described below, needed to occur would be to create plausible deniability through the use of low level fall-guys like Papadopoulos.
Earlier Press Release on Manafort Gates Papadopoulos:
“Intel Committee Ranking Member Schiff Statement on Special Counsel Indictments and Plea Washington, October 30, 2017
Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), the Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee, released the following statement:

“Today’s indictment of former Trump Campaign Manager Paul Manafort and Trump Campaign official Rick Gates, and news of a prior plea by Trump Campaign foreign policy advisor George Papadopoulos, are both enormously consequential developments in the Russia investigations being conducted by the Special Counsel and by Congress.

These developments will and may have already generated new lines of inquiry for the Special Counsel, and could provide invaluable insights on core issues we are investigating on the Committee. It will be important for Congress ultimately to hear from Mr. Manafort, Mr. Gates, and Mr. Papadopoulos, to ensure the congressional investigations incorporate relevant information and develop a comprehensive understanding of these individuals’ actions. 

“The charges against Manafort and Gates allege a vast money laundering scheme and hidden work they performed for pro-Russian leaders and political parties in Ukraine — as well as other crimes. Although the President claims that these charges are unrelated to his presidential campaign, it has been reported that Mr. Manafort made overtures during the campaign to an oligarch close to Putin — Oleg Deripaska — offering information on the Trump campaign. 

It remains to be seen how the prosecution of Manafort and Gates will be resolved, but it may shed new light on both the Trump Tower meeting, in which the Russians offered information to the campaign, Manafort’s own alleged offer running in the opposite direction, and other possible contacts.

“The facts described by the Special Counsel’s Office in its Statement of Offense, to which Papadopoulos has agreed, directly relate to the issue of collusion. They set out what appears to be a classic Russian intelligence operation, in which a foreign policy advisor for the Trump campaign was approached in London — or bumped, in intelligence parlance – by a person claiming to have substantial connections to Russian officials.

This initial contact led to the establishment of a relationship between Papadopoulos and his interlocutors, which itself led to more meetings and discussions with, and overtures from, Russians. Of key significance is that in late April of 2016 one of Papadopoulos’ Russian contacts informed Papadopoulos that the Russians possessed “thousands” of stolen Clinton emails and other “dirt” on Clinton. That conversation took place before the American people were even aware that emails had in fact been stolen by the Russian government from both Clinton campaign officials as well as the Democratic National Committee.  

“Mr. Papadopoulos lied to federal authorities about these and other interactions, in only the most recent example of a Trump campaign official making false statements about contacts with the Russian government.  His plea also establishes that at the time Manafort, Kushner and Don Jr. met at Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer with close Kremlin ties, the Trump campaign already had been informed that the Russians were in possession of the Clinton emails — something that might further explain both why the high level Trump campaign officials took the meeting and what they hoped to obtain.

“Today’s actions by the Special Counsel may prompt the White House and its allies to push back even more strongly — by seeking to curtail the congressional investigations or the Special Counsel’s work prematurely, by shifting the focus to investigating the President’s former opponent, or by other means. Whatever the response, Congress – Democrats and Republicans alike – must make clear that we as an institution will do everything in our power to protect the Special Counsel’s independence. And we will continue to do our jobs and investigate, because we owe the American people a full accounting of Russia’s attack on our democracy.” https://democrats-intelligence.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=264