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Trump Jr meeting: Russia lobbyist confirms attendance Trump Jr meeting: Russia lobbyist confirms attendance
(about 1 hour later)
A Russian-American lobbyist also attended a meeting last year that has embroiled President Donald Trump's son in the Russia inquiry, it has emerged. A former Soviet counter-intelligence official attended a meeting last year with senior aides to President Donald Trump and his son, it has emerged.
Rinat Akhmetshin told AP news agency he went to the meeting at which Donald Trump Jr was promised Kremlin-linked material about Hillary Clinton. Rinat Akhmetshin, now a lobbyist, told AP news agency he was present at the encounter in Trump Tower.
"I never thought this would be such a big deal, to be honest," Mr Akhmetshin told the AP. Donald Trump Jr was promised damaging material on Hillary Clinton at the meeting, his emails show.
Congress is asking the president's son to publicly testify about the meeting. Mr Trump Jr has only previously acknowledged that a Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, was present.
The president's eldest son has played down the 9 June 2016 meeting since it was reported this week.
But a congressional panel investigating claims that Russia meddled in last year's US election, in a bid to help Donald Trump, has asked the president's son to publicly testify.
Emails show Mr Trump Jr, together with the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and campaign chairman Paul Manafort, met Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, who had reported ties to the Russian government, on 9 June 2016.Emails show Mr Trump Jr, together with the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and campaign chairman Paul Manafort, met Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, who had reported ties to the Russian government, on 9 June 2016.
Emails show the encounter was arranged under the premise that Ms Veselnitskaya would share damaging information about Mrs Clinton, Mr Trump's Democratic party rival for the White House. The records revealed the encounter was arranged under the premise that Ms Veselnitskaya would share damaging information about Mrs Clinton, Mr Trump's Democratic party rival for the White House.
Mr Trump Jr said it later became apparent that Ms Veselnitskaya wanted to discuss a suspended programme for Americans to adopt Russian children.Mr Trump Jr said it later became apparent that Ms Veselnitskaya wanted to discuss a suspended programme for Americans to adopt Russian children.
Congressional and federal investigators are scrutinising alleged Russian meddling in the US election.
Since he was elected, President Trump has been dogged by allegations that Russia tried to sabotage Mrs Clinton's campaign to help him win.Since he was elected, President Trump has been dogged by allegations that Russia tried to sabotage Mrs Clinton's campaign to help him win.
He has rejected any knowledge of this and Russia has also repeatedly denied interfering.He has rejected any knowledge of this and Russia has also repeatedly denied interfering.
During a news conference in Paris, Mr Trump defended his son, saying he was merely attempting to collect opposition research and that "most people would have taken that meeting".During a news conference in Paris, Mr Trump defended his son, saying he was merely attempting to collect opposition research and that "most people would have taken that meeting".
"Nothing happened from the meeting. Zero happened," Mr Trump insisted."Nothing happened from the meeting. Zero happened," Mr Trump insisted.
Mr Akhmetshin has previously denied reports that he worked for Soviet military intelligence, which he would have had to disclose when applying for US citizenship. What do we know about Rinat Akhmetshin?
"I am an American citizen since 2009 who pays taxes, earned his citizenship after living here since 1994, and swore an oath of loyalty to the United States of America," he previously told Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty in an email. He told the AP he served in a Soviet military unit that was part of counterintelligence, but was never formally trained as a spy.
But in court papers filed with the US District Court in Washington, DC, a mining company accused him of organising a hack on the company's private records as part of an alleged smear campaign against the firm by Russian oligarch Andrey Melinchenko.
International Mineral Resources (IMR) hired a private investigator to follow Mr Akhmetshin to London, where he allegedly heard the Russian-American brag about arranging the hack of IMR's computer system, according to court documents.
Mr Akhmetshin denied the allegations, but admitted to distributing a hard-drive with data on IMR's owners that he said was open source information.
The allegations were later withdrawn.
Why was he at the meeting?
Mr Trump Jr's lawyer, Alan Futerfas, told the Hill, a Washington DC politics news outlet, that the lobbyist had been introduced during the meeting as a friend of Ms Veselnitskaya.Mr Trump Jr's lawyer, Alan Futerfas, told the Hill, a Washington DC politics news outlet, that the lobbyist had been introduced during the meeting as a friend of Ms Veselnitskaya.
The lawyer said: "Basically he helped translate because Natalia's English is not that good.The lawyer said: "Basically he helped translate because Natalia's English is not that good.
"He's a US citizen. All I can say is Trump Jr met him for the first time and learned his name minutes before the meeting and he was introduced as a friend.""He's a US citizen. All I can say is Trump Jr met him for the first time and learned his name minutes before the meeting and he was introduced as a friend."
Mr Futerfas denied the lobbyist worked for the Russian government.Mr Futerfas denied the lobbyist worked for the Russian government.
"I never thought this would be such a big deal, to be honest," Mr Akhmetshin told the AP.
The meeting at Trump Tower was set up by Rob Goldstone, a British music publicist for Russian pop star Emin Agalarov.The meeting at Trump Tower was set up by Rob Goldstone, a British music publicist for Russian pop star Emin Agalarov.
Mr Agalarov worked with Donald Trump Snr on staging the Miss Universe pageant in Moscow in 2013.Mr Agalarov worked with Donald Trump Snr on staging the Miss Universe pageant in Moscow in 2013.
Mr Goldstone emailed Mr Trump Jr to advise him that "two people" would attend the meeting to provide information that is "part of Russia and its government's support for Mr Trump".Mr Goldstone emailed Mr Trump Jr to advise him that "two people" would attend the meeting to provide information that is "part of Russia and its government's support for Mr Trump".
Ms Veselnitskaya earlier this week told the New York Times she had been joined by a translator, without naming the person.Ms Veselnitskaya earlier this week told the New York Times she had been joined by a translator, without naming the person.