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| Trump ramps up attacks on 'scandal' of Russia inquiry | |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Donald Trump said the investigation into Russian collusion during the 2016 election “could be one of the biggest political scandals in history” as he dubbed the investigation into election inference “Spygate”. | Donald Trump said the investigation into Russian collusion during the 2016 election “could be one of the biggest political scandals in history” as he dubbed the investigation into election inference “Spygate”. |
| In a series of Twitter messages on Wednesday Trump renewed his offensive against the investigation as a “witch-hunt” by the “criminal deep state”. His statements came only days after he demanded an investigation into any government surveillance of his campaign – something the justice department later agreed to. | In a series of Twitter messages on Wednesday Trump renewed his offensive against the investigation as a “witch-hunt” by the “criminal deep state”. His statements came only days after he demanded an investigation into any government surveillance of his campaign – something the justice department later agreed to. |
| The White House has since announced a Thursday meeting between top law enforcement officials and two Republican members of Congress, Trey Gowdy of South Carolina and Devin Nunes of California, to examine classified documents about a government informant’s contacts with Trump’s campaign. Gowdy is the chair of the House government oversight and reform committee and Nunes, a former Trump transition adviser, leads the House intelligence committee. | The White House has since announced a Thursday meeting between top law enforcement officials and two Republican members of Congress, Trey Gowdy of South Carolina and Devin Nunes of California, to examine classified documents about a government informant’s contacts with Trump’s campaign. Gowdy is the chair of the House government oversight and reform committee and Nunes, a former Trump transition adviser, leads the House intelligence committee. |
| Trump has claimed, without evidence, that the FBI had planted a spy within his campaign. In remarks to reporters outside the White House, Trump insisted that the documents to be shown to Gowdy and Nunes would substantiate his claims. “People are going to see a lot of bad things happened,” Trump said in Washington as he briefly spoke to reporters before traveling to New York. | Trump has claimed, without evidence, that the FBI had planted a spy within his campaign. In remarks to reporters outside the White House, Trump insisted that the documents to be shown to Gowdy and Nunes would substantiate his claims. “People are going to see a lot of bad things happened,” Trump said in Washington as he briefly spoke to reporters before traveling to New York. |
| “I hope it is not so,” added Trump, “because if it is there has never been anything like it in the history of our country.” | “I hope it is not so,” added Trump, “because if it is there has never been anything like it in the history of our country.” |
| Democrats have expressed grave concerns about the meeting as only Republicans will attend. In a statement on Tuesday, the Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, said: “The only thing more outrageous than this meeting occurring at all is the fact that it’s now partisan. It is crystal clear that chairman Nunes’ intent is to interfere with the investigation.” | Democrats have expressed grave concerns about the meeting as only Republicans will attend. In a statement on Tuesday, the Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, said: “The only thing more outrageous than this meeting occurring at all is the fact that it’s now partisan. It is crystal clear that chairman Nunes’ intent is to interfere with the investigation.” |
| These concerns were amplified on Wednesday when the Democratic senators Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the former chair of the Senate judiciary committee, and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut demanded the justice department cancel the meeting. | These concerns were amplified on Wednesday when the Democratic senators Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the former chair of the Senate judiciary committee, and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut demanded the justice department cancel the meeting. |
| The meeting comes as new developments in the Russia investigation pose additional threats to the White House. In a court filing, special counsel Robert Mueller asked a federal judge to start the sentencing process for the former Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos, who pleaded guilty in October 2017 of lying to federal investigators. Papadopoulos, who Trump has attacked on Twitter as “a low level volunteer”, had contacts with a Russia-linked professor about “dirt” on Hillary Clinton and later bragged about that information to an Australian diplomat. | The meeting comes as new developments in the Russia investigation pose additional threats to the White House. In a court filing, special counsel Robert Mueller asked a federal judge to start the sentencing process for the former Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos, who pleaded guilty in October 2017 of lying to federal investigators. Papadopoulos, who Trump has attacked on Twitter as “a low level volunteer”, had contacts with a Russia-linked professor about “dirt” on Hillary Clinton and later bragged about that information to an Australian diplomat. |
| Trump’s embattled former attorney Michael Cohen also faced additional scrutiny when the BBC reported that he was paid $400,000 on behalf of the Ukrainian government to broker a meeting between Trump and the Ukrainian prime minister, Petro Poroshenko. Cohen, whose New York office and hotel room was raided by the FBI in April, served as Trump’s intermediary when he paid off the porn star Stormy Daniels on the eve of the 2016 election. The payment of $130,000 was to keep Daniels from discussing an alleged sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. | Trump’s embattled former attorney Michael Cohen also faced additional scrutiny when the BBC reported that he was paid $400,000 on behalf of the Ukrainian government to broker a meeting between Trump and the Ukrainian prime minister, Petro Poroshenko. Cohen, whose New York office and hotel room was raided by the FBI in April, served as Trump’s intermediary when he paid off the porn star Stormy Daniels on the eve of the 2016 election. The payment of $130,000 was to keep Daniels from discussing an alleged sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. |
| Cohen is being investigated for his work for a number of companies after Trump was elected, including AT&T, the Swiss pharmaceuticals firm Novartis and Columbus Nova, an investment firm with ties to a Russian oligarch. | Cohen is being investigated for his work for a number of companies after Trump was elected, including AT&T, the Swiss pharmaceuticals firm Novartis and Columbus Nova, an investment firm with ties to a Russian oligarch. |
| Trump-Russia investigation | Trump-Russia investigation |
| Donald Trump | Donald Trump |
| Republicans | Republicans |
| US Congress | US Congress |
| Michael Cohen | Michael Cohen |
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