The Mueller probe reaches Trump's inner circle
Jared Kushner recently voluntarily turned over campaign documents, including any materials related to conversations with Russians, to Special Counsel Robert Mueller, people familiar with the actions of President Trump's son-in-law told CNN. The documents are apparently similar to the batch Kushner gave Senate Intelligence Committee investigators in July, although at the time the committee responded by saying they were "concerned" by omissions, including potentially relevant material in Kushner's private email account, Politico reports. Kushner's lawyer said in September that the email account has already been searched.
Although White House insiders told CNN that Kushner is not a target in Mueller's investigation, Kushner's actions "signal that Mueller's investigators are reaching the president's inner circle and have extended beyond the 2016 campaign to actions taken at the White House by high-level officials."
Kushner was present at the meeting between Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer who promised dirt on Hillary Clinton during the presidential campaign. He also reportedly encouraged, or at least supported, Trump's decision to fire former FBI Director James Comey. Prior to Mueller's appointment, the FBI had already been investigating Kushner's actions as part of the Trump campaign and transition team.
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On a Tuesday phone call with former White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon, Trump reportedly blamed Kushner for Mueller's advancing investigation.
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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