Perjury Chart: Trump Associates’ Lies, False, or Misleading Statements on Russia to Federal Authorities By Ryan Goodman co-editor-in-chief, Just co-editor-in-chief, Just Security Security It is a federal offense offense to intentionally make false statements to Congress, the FBI, and other federal authorities. It is also a crime to encourage others others to do so (that is, in technical terms, to “suborn perjury ”). It is also a crime to engage in a conspiracy to lie to federal authorities. A conspiracy can involve a tacit or explicit agreement agreement to commit the criminal activity. Possible Lies and False Statements to Federal Authorities
Contradictory Information
1. Jeff Sessions (1) probably lied to Congress Congress about his communications with Russian government officials and (2) possibly lied to Congress about his knowledge knowledge of other campaign members’ contacts with Russian governmen governmentt officials (starting (starting Jan. 2017) 2017) Sessions stated that he did not communicate with members members of the Russian government government during the campaign, at least not on campaign-related campaign-related topics. He also stated that he had no knowledge of other campaign members’ contacts with Russians. January 10, 2017: During Jeff Sessions’ confirmation hearing, hearing, Sen. Al Franken asked Sessions: If there was any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government government in the course of this campaign, what would you do? In response, Sessions stated: “I'm not aware of any of those activities. I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I didn't have — did not have communications with the Russians, and I'm unable to comment on it.”
(1) Sessions’ contacts with Russian government government and content of those communications While Sessions Sessions initially stated stated that he did not communicate with the Russian government during the campaign, it was then discovered that he met with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak at Kislyak at least three times times.. Sessions then claimed he meant he did not discuss any campaign-related campaign-related topics in his meetings with the Russian ambassador. It was then reported that Kislyak had told Russian colleagues at the time that he did discuss the campaign with Sessions. Sessions. Sessions never never squarely squarely refuted that fact. Instead, he later told Congress that he did not discuss “the details of the campaign” with campaign” with Kislyak. Kislyak. But Sessions’ initial statements, even if read in the light most favorable to him—that he had no communications with the Russian government government about the campaign prior to the election—was election—was apparently apparently false.
January 17, 2018: Senator Patrick Leahy asked Leahy asked Sessions in a written questionnaire, questionnaire, “Several of the President-Elect’s President-Elect’s nominees or senior advisers have Russian ties. Have you been in contact with anyone connected to any any part of the
(2) Sessions’ awareness of Trump campaign members’ and associates’ contacts with Russian officials and Russian nationals Sessions chaired the national security team for the Trump campaign, which included 1
Russian government government about the 2016 election, either before or after Election Day?” Sessions responded with one word: “No.” In subsequent congression co ngressional al hearings, Sessions maintained that he was unaware of any Trump campaign members or surrogates having contacts with Russians. On June 13, 2017, Sen. Kamala Harris and Sessions had the following exchange: “HARRIS: Are you aware of any communications with other Trump campaign officials and associates that they had with Russian officials or any Russian nationals? SESSIONS: I don’t recall that.” On Oct. 18, 2017, Franken and Sessions had the following exchange:
George Papadopoulos and Carter Page. Papadopoulos kept members of the campaign informed of his frequent contacts with Russian agents, and Carter Page emailed the campaign from his trip to Moscow informing colleagues of “outreach I’ve received from a few Russian legislators and senior members of the Presidential administration here.” However, the available public record does not name Sessions in describing the Papadopoulos or Page correspondence. Sessions has a strong defense on the more general question of whether he knew Page had communications with Russian nationals. By the time Sessions appeared before the Senate in January 2017, it was widely reported that Page had made the trip to Russia, and Page had given multiple interviews interviews to that effect. Sessions was naturally not denying something that was open and common knowledge.
“FRANKEN: “FRANKEN: [Y]ou don’t do n’t believe that surrogates from the Trump campaign had communications with the Russians? Is that what you’re saying? SESSIONS: I did not and I’m not aware of anyone else that did, and I don’t believe it happened. FRANKEN: And you don’t believe it now? SESSIONS: I don’t believe it happened.” 2. Jared Kushner made material omissions on his security clearance forms (January-June 2017) On January 18, 2017, Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and adviser, submitted his SF-86 security clearance form, which required him to disclose “close and/or continuing contact with a foreign national within the last last seven (7) (7) years” as well well as any contact with a representative representative of a foreign government.
The public record indicates that Kushner omitted several contacts with foreign nationals during the course of the presidential campaign and transition. Examples include:
On April On April 27, 2016: 2016: Senator Jeff Sessions and Kushner reportedly reportedly met with Kislyak in a small gathering at the Mayflower Hotel in Kushner’s initial submission omitted any Washington, D.C., where where candidate Trump mention of contacts with foreign nationals. In made his first foreign policy speech. Kushner April 2017, Kushner’s Kushner’s lawyer lawyer told the New played a significant role in the planning and 2
York Times that Kushner’s SF-86 had been submitted “prematurely” and that Kushner would be supplementin supplementing g his submission. submission. After mid-January mid-January 2017, Kushner Kushner filed filed four addendums to his SF-86. Kushner did not list the Trump Tower meeting with Russian agent, Natalia Veselnitskaya, Veselnitskaya, until June 21, 2017. He told told Congress, in a written a written statement statement,, that the reason he did not include it in his initial or prior amended forms because he forgot the meeting and hadn’t read the emails he received setting up the meeting: “I did not remember the meeting and certainly did not remember it as one with anyone who had to be included on an SF-86. SF-86. When documents documents reviewed for production in connection with committee requests reminded me that meeting had occurred, and because of the language in the email chain that I then read for the first time, I included that meeting on a supplement.” Kushner’s lawyer states that the meeting was included “out of an abundance of caution” caution” after correspondence relating to the meeting was discovered discovered while reviewing reviewing Kushner’s Kushner’s emails. Kushner told Congress, he added Veselnitskaya Veselnitskaya in his amended amended form, “even “even though my attorneys were unable to conclude that the Russian lawyer was a representative of any foreign country and thus fell outside the scope of the form.”
execution of the event. Kushner also reportedly was was in multiple multiple phone calls calls with the Russian ambassador. Kushner told Congress, “on November 9, the day after the election, I could not even remember the name of the Russian Ambassador.” On June 9, 2016: 2016: Kushner, Donald Trump Jr., and Paul Manafort met with Russian lawyer and lobbyist, Natalia Veselnitskaya at Trump Tower in New York. Rob Goldstone, who arranged arranged the meeting, meeting, presented presented Veselnitskaya Veselnitskaya as a “Russian government government attorney” in his email exchanges with Trump Jr. In addition to Goldstone and Veselnitskaya, Veselnitskaya, the Russian delegation also included: Ike Kaveladze, a dual Georgian American citizen citizen and businessman; businessman; Rinat Rinat Akhmetshin, Akhmetshin, a Russian-American Russian-American lobbyist with widely widely reported ties to Russian intelligence; and Anatoli Samochornov, an American citizen citizen who served served as Veselnitskaya’s Veselnitskaya’s translator. In December 2016: Kushner, along with incoming national security advisor, Michael Flynn, met with Kislyak. During the meeting, Kushner reportedly discussed the possibility of establishing a backchannel between members of the Trump transition team and Moscow, using Russian diplomatic facilities and thus bypassing U.S. intelligence services. In December 2016: 2016: Kushner met with Sergey Gorkov, the President of U.S.-sanctioned VBE bank. Kushner Kushner admitted to Congress Congress that Kislyak asked him to meet with Gorkov because the banker was “someone “someone with with a direct line to the Russian President who could give insight into how Putin was viewing the new administration and best ways to work together.” On December 15, 2016: 2016: Kushner and Flynn secretly met with UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and George Nader in Trump Tower. The Crown Prince breached standard standard protocol by failing to notify the Obama administration of his visit to the United States.
3
3. Michael Flynn lied to the FBI about communications with the Russian ambassador (Jan. (Jan. 24, 2017) According to Michael Michael Flynn’s Flynn’s plea agreement, agreement, As part of his his plea deal, Flynn’s Statement of he admitted to lying to the FBI about the Offense documents his intentional false content of his communications communications with Kislyak statements to the FBI regarding his in his interview with investigators investigators on January communications with Kislyak. 24, 2017. Flynn falsely stated to the FBI investigators that “he did not ask Russia’s Ambassador...to refrain refrain from escalating escalating the situation in response to sanctions that the United States had imposed against Russia” for the 2016 election interference. interference. Flynn also falsely stated that he did not remember a follow-up conversation in which the Russian ambassador told him that “Russia had chosen to moderate its response to those sanctions as a result of Flynn’s request.” The Special Counsel’s “Statement-of-Offense ” also states that Flynn falsely falsely told investigators he had not contacted members of foreign governments, governments, including Russia, during the presidential transition to learn about their country’s response to a U.N. Security Council Resolution critical of Israeli settlements, nor that he advocated or attempted to influence their position. Flynn also falsely stated that the Russian ambassador never described to him Russia’s response regarding the resolution. 4. George Papadopoulos Papadopoulos lied to the FBI about his Russian contacts (Jan. 27, 2017) In his interview with with the FBI, FBI, George As part of his his plea deal, Papadopoulos’ Papadopoulos, a foreign policy advisor for the Statement of Offense, Offense, and other filings filings by by the Trump campaign, omitted his efforts to Special Counsel, document his intentional facilitate a meeting between Moscow and false statements to the FBI. campaign officials. Papadopoulos told investigators that his interactions with Professor Joseph Mifsud, a suspected Russian government agent, occurred before he joined the campaign. These interactions included the professor disclosing that the Russians had “dirt” on Hillary Clinton in the form of “thousands of emails.”
4
5. K.T. McFarland probably lied to Congress about knowledge of Flynn’s phone calls with the Russian ambassador (July 2017) K.T. McFarland, who served as a senior Shortly after the Obama White House official on the Trump Transition Team and notified Russia about the sanctions it was deputy national security advisor under Flynn, imposing imposing,, Kislyak contacted Flynn. Flynn appeared before the Senate Committee on then consulted with McFarland, who was Foreign Relations in July 2017 for her with other senior senior members members of the transition nomination as ambassador to Singapore. team at Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s resort in During the confirmation process, Sen. Cory Florida. Flynn discussed with McFarland Booker (D-N.J.) asked asked whether whether she had ever ever “what, if anything, to communicate to the spoken to Flynn, before President Trump Russian Ambassador about the U.S. took office, about his contacts with Kislyak. Sanctions,” according to Flynn’s guilty plea. plea. Immediately following their discussion, Flynn In response to Booker’s question, McFarland called Kislyak. Shortly after the call with the stated: “I am not aware of any of the issues or Russian ambassador, Flynn orally briefed events described above.” McFarland “to report on the substance of his call with the Russian Ambassador, including including their discussion of the U.S. Sanctions,” Flynn admitted in federal court. McFarland’s email communications, communications, which were sent sent to other transition transition team officials, officials, and obtained by the New the New York Times Times,, corroborate the account in Flynn’s statement in federal court. In her email to Thomas Bossert, who also served on the transition team, she said, “General Flynn is talking to the Russian ambassador this evening” evening” and that “key will be Russia’s response over the next few days.” After Flynn’s Flynn’s guilty plea plea on December December 1, 2017, and the publication of the Times report Times report on Dec. 4, McFarland withdrew her name from consideration for ambassador to Singapore. Singapore. 6. Michael Caputo probably lied to Congress about his contacts with Russians (July 13, 2017) Michael Caputo, a senior Trump campaign communications adviser, told reporters in a press conference immediately following his closed-door testimony with the House Intelligence Committee in July 2017, “I spent my time in front of the committee detailing the fact that I had no contact with Russians, that I never heard of anyone with the Trump campaign talking with Russians.”
In May 2016, Caputo, who has had deep business ties to Russia and is described as a protégé of Roger Stone, arranged f or or Stone to meet in Sunny Isles, Florida, with a Russian national, “Henry Greenberg” (a.k.a. Henry Oknyansky) who said he could provide damaging information to the campaign about Hillary Clinton. “How crazy is the Russian?” Caputo texted Stone after the meeting.
5
“Caputo said that he was asked during a session with the committee in July whether he’d ever been offered information about the Clinton campaign by a Russian, and he either answered “no” or that he could not recall,” the Washington Post r Post reported.
Caputo’s attorney sent attorney sent a letter amending his client’s testimony in June 2018 following Caputo’s interview with Special Counsel Mueller, Mueller, where he was confronted with text messages between Stone and himself about the Greenberg meeting.
7. Jared Kushner (1) probably lied to Congress about his knowledge of the reason for the June 9 Russia meeting in Trump Tower and (2) possibly made false statements about proposing a backchannel backchannel to Russia (July 24, 2017) (1) Advance knowledge of June 9 Trump Tower meeting
(1) Advance knowledge of June 9 Trump Tower meeting
In his written his written statement submitted to According to the House Intelligence Congress, Kushner Kushner stated that he did not read Committee Majority’s report, report, Trump Jr., the email exchange between Donald Trump Kushner, and Manafort attended the meeting Jr. and Rob Goldstone before the meeting “where they expected to receive…derogatory and denied that he knew what the June 9 information on candidate Clinton from meeting was going to be about. Russian sources.” The email exchange, which Trump Jr. forwarded to Kushner, used the (2) Backchannel to Russia subject line: “Russia - Clinton - private and confidential.” In his written testimony, Kushner Kushner denied attempting to create “a secret backchannel” backchannel” For more on this see: “House Intel during a meeting with Kislyak and Flynn on Committee Findings Contradict Kushner’s December 1, 2016 at Trump Tower. He Testimony.” stated: “I did not suggest an ongoing secret form of communication for then or for when President Trump’s personal attorney, Rudy the administration took office. I did not raise Giuliani, told CNN that a preparatory the possibility of using the embassy or any meeting took place on June 7, 2016 and other Russian facility for any purpose other involved Trump campaign officials including than this one possible conversation in the Kushner, Trump Jr., Paul Manafort, Rick transition period. We did not discuss Gates, and Michael Cohen. Gates and Cohen sanctions.” are cooperating with Mueller’s Mueller’s investigation. Giuliani’s statements on this have shifted shifted,, and he is generally sloppy with the facts, either intentionally intentionally to sow confusion or unintentionally. (2) Backchannel to Russia According to the Washington Post and Post and New New York Times, Times, Kislyak told his superiors that Kushner proposed the possibility of setting up a secret communications channel between the Trump transition team and Moscow, using Russian diplomatic facilities that would bypass U.S. intelligence intelligence agencies.
6
8. Michael Cohen lied to Congress about the Moscow Trump Tower Project (Aug. 28, 2017) President Trump’s long-time personal lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, lied to Congress about a deal for a Trump Tower in Moscow, which he was working to arrange in 2015 and 2016. According to descriptions by the Special Counsel in court documents, Cohen’s lies included making false representations that “the Moscow Project ended in January 2016 and was not discussed extensively with others in the Company,” including other Trump family members. Cohen also lied about taking steps to arrange for him, and possibly Trump, travelling to Russia during the campaign, and about the responses he received from Russian officials after he reached out to the Kremlin by email.
As part of his his plea deal, Cohen’s Criminal Information outlines his intentional false statements to the FBI. Importantly, in a separate court filing, Cohen stated: “in the weeks during which his thencounsel prepared his written response to the Congressional Congressional Committees, Committees, Michael remained in close and regular contact with White House-based House-based staff and and legal counsel counsel to Client-1 [Donald Trump].”
9. Donald Trump Jr. (1) probably lied to Congress Congress about receiving offers of assistance from other foreign governments; (2) probably lied about candidate Trump’s advance knowledge of the June 9 Trump Tower meeting; (3) made a false statement about whether any of the Russian members of the June 9 meeting requested requested a follow-up; (4) possibly made false statements about the Trump Tower in Moscow deal (Sept. 7, 2017) (1) Assistance from other foreign governments
(1) Assistance from other foreign governments
In his Senate testimony, Donald Trump Jr. was asked whether whether other foreign governments or foreign nationals offered assistance to the campaign. He denied it. The exchanges included the following:
On August 3, 2016, according to a detailed report by the New the New York York Times, Times, Trump Jr. met with George Nader, who purported to represent foreign governments seeking to offer assistance to the Trump campaign. The meeting also included Erik Prince and Joel Zamel, an Australian-born Israeli expert in social media manipulation, manipulation, whose company reportedly employs former intelligence officers. Nader reportedly told Trump Jr. that the Crown Princes of the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia were eager to help Trump win the presidency. According to the Times, Times, “two people familiar with the meetings said that Trump campaign officials did not appear bothered by the idea of cooperation with foreigners,” foreigners,” and Trump Jr. Jr. “responded “responded approvingly” approvingly” to the proposal. Following the Aug. 3 meeting, meeting, “Nader was quickly embraced embraced as a close ally by Trump campaign advisers.” advisers.”
“Q: We’ve talked a lot about Russia. So I have some broader questions about other foreign governments. Did other foreign governments offer or provide assistance to the Trump campaign? A. None that I'm aware of. Q: Did other foreign nationals offer or provide assistance to the Trump Campaign? A: No. Q: Did you directly or indirectly seek foreign government government or foreign nationals
7
assistance for the Trump campaign? A: No. Q: Are you aware of anyone else seeking foreign government government or foreign nationals assistance for the Trump campaign? A: I’m not. Q: Did you ever tell anyone that you or the Trump campaign would be receptive to offers of assistance from foreign governments governments or foreign nationals? A: No.” (2) Donald J. Trump’s advance knowledge of the June 9 Trump Tower meeting In his interview before before the Senate Judiciary Committee,, Trump Jr. was asked, “Did you Committee inform your father about the meeting or the underlying offer prior to the meeting?” He replied: “No, I did not.” He also said his father had not been “aware” of the meeting until the summer of 2017 when it was reported in the press. (3) Follow-up to June 9 meeting Trump Jr. was twice asked as ked whether there was any follow-up to the June 9 meeting:
In May 2018, Trump Jr.’s lawyer acknowledged acknowledged the meeting took place. He stated that his client “recalls a meeting [prior to the 2016 election] with Erik Prince, George Nader and another individual who may be Joel Zamel. They pitched Mr. Trump Jr. on a social media platform or marketing strategy. He was not interested and that was the end of it.” Nader is cooperating cooperating with with the Special Counsel, including seven interviews with federal prosecutors. (2) Donald J. Trump’s advance knowledge of the June 9 Trump Tower meeting Trump campaign associates Stephen Bannon and Sam Nunberg have each said they believe then-candidate then-candidate Trump was told of the meeting in advance. In July 2018, 2018, CNN reported that former Trump attorney and fixer, Michael Cohen, was prepared to allege that Trump had been informed in advance of the June 9, 2016 Trump Tower meeting. (Michael Cohen’s attorney, Lanny Davis, admitted to being an anonymous source for the CNN report and walked and walked back his back his statement in support of the story. CNN did not retract the story and stated, “ We stand by our story, which had more than one source, and are confident in our reporting of it.”)
“Q: Did any attendee request additional meetings or communications with you or any member of the Trump campaign?
In a letter to t o Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) raised concerns that Trump Jr. lied in his interview with congressional congressional staff.
A: No, they did not.
(3) Follow-up to June 9 meeting
Q: There was, in your view, no follow-up at all from this meeting?
Senate Judiciary documents Judiciary documents flatly contradict Trump Jr.’s denial of a requested follow-up follow-up to the Trump Tower meeting (see section below on Veselnitskaya’s testimony). That said, there is no publicly available evidence evidence that Trump Jr. knew about the requested followup, which could mean that he did not knowingly or intentionally make a false statement.
A: Correct.” (4) Trump Tower in Moscow deal When asked about the Trump Trump Tower deal, involving Michael Cohen and Felix Sater, that began in 2015, Trump Jr. Jr. downplayed downplayed his knowledge of the Moscow Project, saying he
8
was only “peripherally “peripherally aware” that something something (4) Trump Tower in Moscow deal was being pursued, that he knew “very “very little” about the deal Cohen was pursuing, and that According to Michael Cohen’s Cohen’s plea he “wasn’t involved” in it. Trump Jr. also said documents, the Cohen-Sater Moscow Project he believed Sater worked with Cohen on the was discussed multiple multiple times times within the deal “in 2015.” Trump Organization. This includes with Trump himself and his family members who worked there. there. The court court documents documents read: “COHEN discussed the status and progress of the Moscow Project with [Donald J. Trump] on more than the three occasions COHEN claimed to the Committee, and he briefed family members of [Donald J. Trump] within the Company about the project.” The Special Counsel also stated that Cohen falsely represented represented to Congress Congress that “the Moscow Project ended in January 2016 and was not discussed extensively extensively with others in in the Company.” Following the release of the plea agreement, the Wall Street Journal reported: Journal reported: “Investigators obtained emails about the project from late 2015 and January 2016, according to people familiar with the matter, in which Mr. Cohen communicated with or copied Mr. Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., and his daughter, Ivanka Trump, both of whom were executives at Trump Organization.” 10. Roger Stone (1) probably lied to Congress Congress about how and when he learned of Wikileaks’ possession of Podesta’s emails; (2) probably lied in denying advanced knowledge of any content of Wikileaks’ documents documents on Hillary Clinton Clinton (3) probably probably lied about his communications communications with Wikileaks; (4) (4) probably lied about his contacts contacts with Russians; Russians; and (5) (5) made false and misleading statements about his communications and relationship to the campaign (Sept. 26, 2017) (1) Podesta emails
(1) Podesta emails
In his written his written testimony before before the House Intelligence Committee, Roger Stone, denied that his tweet on Aug. 21 (saying “Trust me, it will soon the Podesta’s time in the barrel. barrel. #CrookedHillary”) meant he had foreknowledge foreknowledge that Wikileaks possessed Podesta’s emails and planned to release them.
The Special Counsel’s draft Statement of Offense for Jerome Corsi, Corsi , a close Stone associate, contradicts Stone’s testimony. In late July, Stone emailed Corsi asking him to get information from Assange on what documents Wikileaks possessed. Corsi replied on Aug. 2 informing Stone that Wikileaks had Podesta documents and would release them 9
in October. Importantly, Stone said, “The Tweet is also based on a comprehensiv comprehensive, e, early August August opposition research briefing provided to me by investigative investigative journalist, journalist, Dr. Jerome Jerome Corsi, which I then asked him to memorialize in in a memo that he sent me on August 31st.” (2) Content of Wikileaks documents In his written testimony, Stone said, “The charge that … I had advanced knowledge knowledge of the source or actual content of the WikiLeaks disclosures regarding Hillary Clinton … are entirely false.”
In emails on Oct. 3-4 2016 between Stone, then-campaign chairman Stephen Bannon, and Breitbart Washington editor Matthew Boyle, Stone held himself out to members of the Trump campaign as a conduit to Wikileaks, and and suggested he knew of Assange’s plans plans and reasons reasons for making making decisions about timing. Boyle emailed Bannon saying, “Well clearly he knows what Assange has.”
Stone’s statement that he relied on a research briefing by Corsi appears appears to be a cover cover story that Stone conspired with Corsi to create. On Stone also said he learned that Wikileaks was Aug. 30, 2016 (nine (nine days after Stone’s tweet in possession of Clinton DNC emails in June referring to Podesta), Stone asked Corsi for 2016 after Assange made a public help in creating an “alternative explanation” announcement. for the tweet after the fact, according to an interview Corsi gave to the Wall Street (3) Wikileaks/Assange Wikileaks/Assange communications Journal in Nov. 2018. Corsi also told the Journal what he told the Mueller grand jury: In his written testimony, Stone said “I have “What I testified to the grand jury, was I never said or written that I had any direct believed I was creating a cover story for communication with Julian Assange and have Roger, because Roger wanted to explain this always clarified in numerous interviews interviews and tweet … the special counsel knew this. They speeches that my communication c ommunication with can virtually tell my keystrokes on that WikiLeaks was was through the aforementioned aforementioned computer.” Corsi made similar admissions in journalist.” multiple media interviews interviews in Nov. 2018. For example, he said said,, “I was given immunity by (4) Russian contacts the Mueller prosecutors in order to make this testimony because my lawyer didn’t want me In his written testimony, Stone stated that he to be held for suborning perjury because “never had any communication with any Roger used that memo in his testimony, the Russians or individuals fronting for Russians, House Intelligence Committee sworn in connection with the 2016 presidential testimony. And I did not object to it.” election” He also suggested that he did not know Guccifer 2.0 was Russian. In spring of 2016, Stone Ston e reportedly reportedly told told a confidant that he had contact with Assange (5) Relationship to Trump Campaign earlier that year. Stone’s confidant confidan t told the Washington Post that Stone said he learned In his written testimony, Stone said “I from Assange that Wikileaks had obtained performed consulting work for the campaign emails that would torment senior Democrats for five months and the consulting such as John Podesta. The conversation relationship ended in August 2015.” occurred before any public reports that hackers had obtained emails of the Democratic National Committee, let alone documents related to Podesta. Other statements Stone made shortly before 10
and after Wikileaks’ release of the Podesta emails indicate he had advanced knowledge (see, for example, [23] in Renato Mariotti’s analysis)). analysis (2) Content of Wikileaks documents As discussed above in (1), the Special Counsel’s draft Statement of Offense for Jerome Corsi includes email text from Corsi to Stone on Aug. 2 informing Stone that Wikileaks had Podesta documents. documents. Importantly, Corsi also states that Wikileaks will release release documents documents suggesting Hillary Clinton has health problems, which Wikileaks subsequently subsequently does in September and October 2016. (See Bob Bauer and my article my article for more analysis.) As mentioned mentioned in (1), in spring of 2016, 2016, Stone Stone reportedly told reportedly told a confidant that he had contact with Assange earlier that year, and learned from Assange that Wikileaks had obtained emails that would torment senior Democrats such as John Podesta. On Sept. 18, 2016, Stone emailed a specific document request to Randy Credico, a New York radio personality personality who had interviewed interviewed Assange. “Please “Please ask Assange Assange for any State or HRC e-mail from August 10 to August 30-particularly on August 20, 2011,” Stone wrote. Credico Credico initially initially replied that the information would be on Wikileaks website if it existed. Stone responded, “Why do we assume WikiLeaks has released everything they have???” Credico then asked for a “little bit of time,” and and wrote a few hours later, later, “That batch probably coming out in the next drop...I can’t ask them favors every other day. I asked one of his lawyers.” Credico Credico was presumably referring referring to prior requests to Wikileaks. Credico Credico would would later later say say that that he never passed on the request to Assange or his lawyers, but got tired of Stone “bothering” him. Note: The very existence of the emails between Stone and Credico raises raises legal problems for Stone. R ep. ep. Adam Schiff (DCalif.) told the Wall the Wall Street Street Journal that the 11
emails had not been disclosed to Congress. Schiff said: “If there is such a document, then it would mean that his testimony was either deliberately incomplete or deliberately false.” Stone’s lawyer, Grant Smith, said the emails had not been turned over because they were “not encompassed within the scope of the committee’s request.” This statement suggests that Stone knowingl knowingly y and deliberately decided not to provide the emails to Congress. (3) Wikileaks/Assange Wikileaks/Assange communications Stone has reportedly reportedly amended amended his congressional congressional testimony for statements he made about the extent of his interactions with Wikileaks. Stone communicated directly with Wikileaks via Twitter private private messages on Oct. 13, 2016 and Nov. 9, 2016. There may be other communications between Stone and Wikileaks/Assange. In an email to Trump adviser, Sam Nunberg on Aug. 4, 2016, Stone wrote: “I dined with my new pal Julian Assange last night.” It is unclear whether Stone Stone meant meant he had an online meeting with Assange, since it appears he did not leave the United States, and Assange remained in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. In a video recording of Stone’s speech to a local Republican Party group in Florida on August 8, 2016, Stone stated, “I have actually communicated with Assange. I believe the next tranche tranche of his documents documents to pertain to the Clinton foundation but there’s no telling what the October surprise may be.” As mentioned mentioned above [see (1)], in spring spring of 2016, Stone Stone reportedly reportedly told told a confidant that he had contact with Assange earlier that year. Finally. NBC News reported that “Mueller’s investigators have reviewed messages to members of the Trump team in which Stone and Corsi seem to take credit for the release of Democratic emails, said a person with direct knowledge of the emails.” However, NBC News relies on a single unnamed source 12
for this report. (4) Russian contacts Stone has reportedly reportedly amended amended his congressional congressional testimony for statements he made about Russian contacts. First, from at least Aug. 14-Sept. 9, 2016, Stone communicated with the Russian intelligence front Guccifer 2.0. Stone contends that he did not know that Guccifer 2.0 was Russian. However, by late July 2016, it was it was widely reported that the U.S. government had identified the Russian government as responsible for the DNC hacking and that Guccifer 2.0 was 2.0 was part of the Russian operation. Second, Michael Caputo, senior Trump campaign communications adviser, asked Stone to meet with “Henry Greenberg” (a.k.a. Henry Oknyansky), who promised derogatory information on Clinton. “How crazy is the Russian?” Caputo texted Stone after the meeting (See entry under Michael Caputo). Note: The very existence of the text messages between Stone and Caputo Caputo may raise legal legal problems for Stone if he did not turn them over to Congress. (5) Relationship to Trump Campaign Stone has reportedly reportedly amended amended his congressional congressional testimony on statements he made about communications with the Trump campaign. First, it is widely reported reported that Stone continued to consult for the campaign after August 2015. Second, Second, Caputo apparently apparently asked Stone to meet with a Russian national on behalf of the campaign in May 2016 (See entry above under Michael Caputo). Third, in Oct. 2016, Stone told a reporter that he sent long memos to Trump once or twice a week. Fourth, Stone reportedly reportedly met met with deputy campaign chairman Rick Gates during the campaign. Gates joined the campaign in March 2016 (long after Aug. 2015). 13
Fifth and perhaps most important, Special Counsel Mueller appears to believe Stone was acting in direct communication on campaign related matters on behalf of the Trump Campaign at the most relevan relevantt times. The special counsel’s draft Statement of Offense for Jerome Corsi states that Corsi “understood [Stone] to be in regular contact with senior members of the Trump Campaign, including with then-candidate Donald J. Trump” when Stone “asked Corsi to get in touch with [Wikileaks] about materials it possessed relevant to the presidential campaign” in July 2016. Similarly, the Special Counsel’s indictment of Russian military intelligence intellige nce officers states that Stone was “in regular contact with senior members of the presidential campaign of Donald J. Trump” when he communicated privately with with the Russian intelligence front Guccifer 2.0 in August of 2016. After the release of the Russia indictment, Stone said said,, “I certainly acknowledgee that I was in touch with Trump acknowledg campaign officials,” contradicting his earlier public statements. 11. Carter Page probably lied to Congress about his contacts with Russian officials (Nov. 2, 2017) In his testimony before before the House Intelligence Intelligence Committee, Carter Page stated that, in his trip to Moscow during the campaign, it was “absolutely” true that he “had no meetings, no serious s erious discussions with anyone high up or in any official capacity; it’s just kind of man on the street.” street.” He maintained that position until Rep. Adam Schiff confronted him with emails, which he had not disclosed to the Committee, that Page sent to the Trump Campaign. In one email, Page wrote, “In a private conversation, conversation, Dvorkovich [the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia] expressed strong support for Mr. Trump and a desire to work together toward devising better solutions in response to the vast range of current international international problems.” In other email, Page wrote, “I'll send you guys a readout soon regarding some incredible insights and outreach I've received from a few Russian legislators and senior members of
A memorandum A memorandum issued by Rep. Schiff and fellow Democratic members of the House Intelligence Intelligence Committee states that the FBI possesses evidence from “multiple independent independent sources” that “contradicts Page's November 2, 2017 testimony to the Committee, in which he initially denied any such meetings and then was forced to admit speaking with Dvorkovich and meeting with Rosneft's Sechin-tied investor relations chief, Andrey Baranov.” Baranov.” The memorandum says that FBI obtained information through FISA surveillance surveillance as well that “contradict[s] his sworn testimony to our Committee." The testimony shows that Page initially denied significant meetings and changed his statements when confronted with documentary evidence that contradicted him. The documents also contradict Page’s testimony as to whether he had a private 14
the Presidential administration here." Page then said he learned of Russian legislators’ views from public information information like listening to speeches and reading newspapers in Russia. But he later admitted to Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) that he met with members of the Russian Duma, though he added, “Duma was, again, just in passing, a few few people when we were shaking hands.” hands.”
conversation with Dvorkovich and whether he had meetings or communications communications of substance with other senior members of the Russian Presidential administration and Duma.
12. Alex van der Zwaan lied to the FBI about his contacts with Rick Gates and a Ukrainian national with active ties to Russian intelligence (Nov. 3, 2017) Alex van der Zwaan, a lawyer and son-in-law As part of his his plea deal, Alex van der der Zwaan’s of a Russian billionaire, admitted that he lied Criminal Information documents his to the FBI about his contacts with Rick Gates intentional false statements to the FBI. and Konstantin Kilimnik, a Kiev-based operative whom the FBI assessed had active ties to Russian intelligence intelligence during this period, according to Special Counsel court documents. 13. Natalia Veselnitskaya (1) probably lied to Congress Congress about her connections to Russia’s Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika and (2) probably lied about attempted follow-up follow-up to the Trump Tower meeting (Nov. 20, 2017) (1) In written In written responses responses to Senate Judiciary Committee questions, Veselnitskaya denies she was working with or connected to Russia’s Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika and said Robert Goldstone “could either confuse everything, or intentionally make everything look intriguing so that the meeting could take place.” (2) In her written her written responses responses,, Veselnitskaya Veselnitskaya denies there was any attempted follow up to the June 9 Trump Tower meeting. The Committee asked, “Did you or any other meeting attendees request additional meetings or communications with Donald Trump, Jr., or any member of the Trump campaign, the Trump administration, or the Trump Organization?” Organization?” Veselnitskaya Veselnitskaya responded: “No.”
(1) See the information below concerning Rob Goldstone’s Goldstone’s testimony t estimony on Russia’s Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika. (2) Senate Judiciary documents Judiciary documents f latly latly contradict Veselnitskaya’s Veselnitskaya’s denial of a requested follow-up to the Trump Tower meeting. The documents include email and text communications after Nov. 8, 2016 among the Russian delegates to the Trump Tower meeting and between the Russians and a Trump assistant trying to set up a follow-up meeting during the presidential transition. Representative Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) told CNN that Veselnitskaya had reached out to the Trump transition team following the November 2016 election. With support from Aras Agalarov, Agalarov, Veselnitskaya Veselnitskaya requested requested a follow-on meeting meeting to discuss her efforts to repeal the Magnitsky Act.
15
14. Paul Manafort lied to federal authorities about his ties to Kremlin-link Kremlin-link Ukrainian political parties (starting Nov. 23, 2016, later dates include Feb. 10, 2017) Paul Manafort lied to federal authorities about his connections to, and work as an agent on behalf of, Kremlin-linked Ukrainian parties.
The special prosecutor’s indictment of Paul Manafort, plea documents, and other filings document his intentional false statements. Manafort continued to lie to the federal investigators after entering a cooperation agreement, agreement, according to a court filing by filing by the special counsel.
15. Rick Gates lied to federal authorities about his ties to Kremlin-link Kremlin-link Ukrainian political parties (starting Nov. 23, 2016, later dates include Feb. 10, 2017) Rick Gates lied to federal authorities about his connections and work as an agent on behalf of Kremlin-l Kremlin-linked inked Ukrainian Ukrainian parties.
The special prosecutor’s indictment of Rick Gates, plea documents, documents, and other filings document his intentional false statements.
Rick Gates also lied to the FBI in stating that a meeting with Manafort, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.), (R-Calif.), and a lobbyist, did not include Ukraine as a topic. 16. Erik Prince (1) probably lied to Congress about his secret Seychelles meeting with a Russian and (2) probably lied about his relationship to the Trump campaign (Nov. 30, 2017) (1) Backchannel to Russia
(1) Backchannel to Russia
In his testimony before before the House According to several news reports news reports,, the secret Intelligence Committee, Erik Prince, founder meeting in the Seychelles Seychelles on Jan. 11, 2017, of the private security s ecurity firm Blackwater, was an effort effort to create a backchannel backchannel between admitted to meeting Kirill Dmitriev, a the incoming Trump administration and confidant and close ally of Putin and CEO of a Moscow. The meeting was facilitated by Russian sovereign wealth fund, in the George Nader, an adviser to Crown Prince Seychelles. Seychelles. In his testimony, Prince denied Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan of the UAE. three things: that the meeting was preThe meeting reportedly included Prince, planned (he says it was a chance encounter); encounter); Dmitriev, Nader, and the UAE Crown Prince. that he was acting as an official or unofficial surrogate for the Trump transition team; and The UAE agreed to facilitate the meeting in that the purpose of the meeting had anything part to explore whether whether Russia could be to do with setting s etting up a backchannel with persuaded to curtail its relationship relationship with Moscow. Iran, according to U.S., European and Arab officials. (2) Relationship to Trump Campaign According to people familiar familiar with with the When asked by Rep. Tom Tom Rooney (R-Fl.) (R-Fl.) Seychelles meeting, Prince presented himself whether Prince Prince had any any “formal as an unofficial envoy for Trump. Not only 16
communications or contact” with the campaign beyond submitting a series of policy position papers to Stephen Bannon, Bannon, Prince stated that this characterization of his role was “correct.” The exchange also included Prince suggesting that his other support for Trump came in the form of “Yard sign in my yard.” Prince was also asked asked by by Rep. Eric Eric Swalwell Swalwell (R-Ca.) about any contacts with Donald Trump Jr. during the campaign. Prince omitted the Aug. 3, 2016 Trump Tower meeting referring referring instead only to having met Trump Jr. at “a campaign event.”
was that the impression impression made during the Seychelles meeting, but “for weeks afterward, the UAE believed that Prince had the blessing of the new administration to act as its unofficial representative,” representative,” according to t o the Washington Post Post.. Nader is cooperating cooperating with with the Special Counsel, including having seven interviews with the prosecutors, prosecutors, and he appears to to have documentary evidence of planning the meeting in advance with Prince. (2) (2) Relationship to Trump Campaign Regarding his role during the campaign and contacts with Donald Trump Jr., Prince’s testimony, in response to Rep. Rooney and Rep. Swalwell, directly conflicts with the New York Times report detailing the Aug. 3, 2016 Trump Tower meeting with Nader, Trump Jr., and Zamel.
17. Robert Goldstone probably lied to Congress about his email to Donald Trump Jr. (Dec. 15, 2017) In his June 3, 2106 email to Donald Trump Jr., Robert Goldstone said, “the Crown prosecutor of Russia ... offered to provide the Trump campaign with some official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary Hillary … part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump.” It was widely reported that the reference to Crown Prosecutor meant Russia’s Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika. However, in his interview with with the Senate Judiciary Judiciary Committee, Goldstone testified that his reference to the “Crown Prosecutor” meant the lawyer Veselnitskaya herself and he had no specific knowledge of any Russian government government efforts to support Trump.
Public reports and Veselnitskaya’s Veselnitskaya’s own admissions to NBC News later strongly indicate that Goldstone was referring to Russia’s General Prosecutor Chaika. The New York Times reported reported:: “Interviews “Interviews and records show that in the months before the meeting, Ms. Veselnitskaya Veselnitskaya had discussed the allegations with one of Russia’s most powerful powerful officials, officials, the prosecutor general, Yuri Y. Chaika. And the memo she brought with her closely followed a document that Mr. Chaika’s office had given to an American congressman [Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Ca.)] two months earlier, incorporating some paragraphs verbatim. The The coordination between the Trump Tower visitor and the Russian prosecutor general undercuts Ms. Veselnitskaya’s Veselnitskaya’s account.” Veselnitskaya Veselnitskaya also admitted that she was a Russian government “informant” and worked closely with Chaika when confronted by NBC with email correspondence correspondence leaked to the 17
news organization o rganization.. 18. Jerome Corsi lied to the FBI about his efforts with Roger Stone to communicate with Wikileaks/Assange Wikileaks/Assange (Sept. 6, 2018) Jerome Corsi, a close associate of Roger Stone, told the FBI that he declined a request from Stone to contact Assange to learn about and acquire documents that Wikileaks possessed but had not yet released. Corsi also told the FBI that he never provided Stone information regarding Wikileaks’ documents including what Wikileaks possessed and what it might do with those materials.
The Special Counsel’s draft Statement of Offense,, which Corsi recently released to the Offense media, shows that Mueller’s team concluded that Corsi lied in making these statements to the FBI based, in part, on emails and other ot her documents in the FBI’s possession. Corsi admitted to many of these false statements in media interviews following the release of the document, though he claimed, that he came up with the idea himself that Wikileaks possessed Podesta’s emails as a result of his own “forensic analysis” of the DNC email system. Among other problems with that explanation, explanation, as journalist Natasha Bertrand has noted noted,, is that Podesta had no role at the DNC. Also it would not explain Corsi’s advanced knowledge of the specific content of Wikileaks documents documents related related to Clinton’s Clinton’s health. Corsi has also admitted to the grand jury that he was involved in Stone’s use of a cover story in Stone’s congressional testimony. As described in more detail below (see entry above for Stone (1)), Corsi told the Wall Street Journal Journal : “What I testified to the grand jury, was I believed believed I was creating a cover story for Roger, because Roger wanted to explain this tweet … the special counsel knew this. They can virtually tell my keystrokes on that computer.” Corsi made similar admissions in multiple media interview interviewss in Nov 2018. For example, he said said,, “I was given immunity by the Mueller prosecutors prosecutors in order to make this testimony because my lawyer didn’t want me to be held for suborning s uborning perjury because Roger used that memo in his testimony, the House Intellige Intelligence nce committee sworn testimony. And I did not object to it.”
18
