Cummings Requests Docs from Top Trump Aides on Russia Meeting and Contacts

Washington, D.C. (July 11, 2017) – Today, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent a letter to Donald J. Trump, Jr., White House Senior Advisor Jared Kushner, and former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort requesting information about their meeting with Natalia Veselnitskaya, a Kremlin-connected Russian lawyer, during the 2016 presidential campaign on the promise of damaging information about Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

"Our country has a fundamental principle that a foreign adversary should not and cannot interfere with our sacred elections," Cummings wrote. "Your decision to take this meeting raises significant questions about your judgment and your respect for the very principles that our democracy has been founded upon. Furthermore, I am concerned that you failed to disclose this meeting to the authorities or the public for almost a year, even when the President and his team repeatedly denied any contact between the campaign and Russia."

Cummings was referencing a meeting involving Veselnitskaya, Trump, Jr., Kushner, and Manafort at Trump Tower on June 9, 2016. According to emails released today, the Russian government wanted to provide "high level and sensitive information" about Clinton that was "part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump." Trump, Jr. responded: "if it's what you say I love it especially later in the summer." Trump Jr. forwarded the email chain to Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort, both of whom attended the meeting with Veselnitskaya.

Cummings wrote: "Congress now has a constitutional duty to investigate, and to ask the serious questions that are raised by your actions, such as whether you or other members of the Trump team had other undisclosed contacts with Russians in order to seek or obtain derogatory information on the Democratic nominee. We also need more information about whether and when Mr. Kushner disclosed his foreign contacts, including this meeting, on his security clearance application."

In today's letter, Cummings requested all documents and communications regarding the June 9, 2016, meeting at Trump Tower, the recipients' contacts with Russian individuals during the campaign and transition, and Kushner's security clearance application and his reporting of his foreign contacts, travel and meetings.

Click here to read today's letter.