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Trump-Russia: Carter Page insists he was 'never an agent of a foreign power' Trump-Russia: Carter Page insists he was 'never an agent of a foreign power'
(about 1 hour later)
The FBI has released documents related to the surveillance of former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page, as part of an investigation into whether he conspired with the Russian government to undermine the 2016 US election.The FBI has released documents related to the surveillance of former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page, as part of an investigation into whether he conspired with the Russian government to undermine the 2016 US election.
A surveillance application filed in October 2016, a month before polling day, said: “The FBI believes that Page has been collaborating and conspiring with the Russian government.”A surveillance application filed in October 2016, a month before polling day, said: “The FBI believes that Page has been collaborating and conspiring with the Russian government.”
Page has denied being an agent of the Russian government and has not been charged with any crime.Page has denied being an agent of the Russian government and has not been charged with any crime.
In an interview with CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday, Page reiterated his denials and described the FBI’s application to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance (Fisa) court as “so ridiculous it’s beyond words”. He accused law enforcement of misleading the court.In an interview with CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday, Page reiterated his denials and described the FBI’s application to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance (Fisa) court as “so ridiculous it’s beyond words”. He accused law enforcement of misleading the court.
“I’ve never been an agent of a foreign power by any stretch of the imagination,” Page said. “I’ve never been an agent of a foreign power by any stretch of the imagination,” he said.
The 412 pages of documents, mostly heavily redacted and made public by the FBI late on Saturday, included surveillance applications and warrants. The documents released said “the FBI believes that the Russian government’s efforts are being coordinated with Page and perhaps other individuals associated with” Trump’s campaign. It added Page “has established relationships with Russian government officials, including Russian intelligence officers”. The 412 pages of documents, mostly heavily redacted and made public by the FBI late on Saturday, included surveillance applications and warrants. The documents said “the FBI believes that the Russian government’s efforts are being coordinated with Page and perhaps other individuals associated with” Trump’s campaign. It added Page “has established relationships with Russian government officials, including Russian intelligence officers”.
On CNN the former foreign policy adviser and energy consultant declined to answer four times whether he had relationship with Russian officials and declined to elaborate on an academic letter he wrote in 2013, where he described himself as an “informal adviser” to the Kremlin. On CNN the former foreign policy adviser and energy consultant declined to answer four times whether he had relationships with Russian officials and declined to elaborate on an academic letter he wrote in 2013, in which he described himself as an “informal adviser” to the Kremlin.
According to allegations in the documents Page, who lived in Moscow between 2004 and 2007, met a number of senior allies to President Vladimir Putin during a July 2016 trip to Russia.
It is alleged that Page met with Igor Sechin, a Russian energy executive, and discussed lifting western sanctions against Russia imposed in response to the 2013 Ukrainian crisis. The application also alleges that Page met with Igor Divyekin, a Russian intelligence operative, and discussed compromising material on Hillary Clinton. Both meetings are also alleged in the now notorious dossier authored by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele. The FBI application attributes the allegations to a confidential source.
On Sunday Page, who has not been charged in relation to the ongoing investigation, denied ever meeting Sechin or Divyekin and described the specific allegations as “totally false”.
The released documents include applications and renewal warrants filed in 2017, after Donald Trump took office. The president denies collusion with Russia. On Sunday morning, he accused his own government of serious malpractice.The released documents include applications and renewal warrants filed in 2017, after Donald Trump took office. The president denies collusion with Russia. On Sunday morning, he accused his own government of serious malpractice.
The president wrote on Twitter that the documents were “ridiculously heavily redacted but confirm with little doubt that the Department of ‘Justice’ and FBI misled the courts. Witch Hunt Rigged, a Scam!”The president wrote on Twitter that the documents were “ridiculously heavily redacted but confirm with little doubt that the Department of ‘Justice’ and FBI misled the courts. Witch Hunt Rigged, a Scam!”
He added: “Looking more & more like the Trump Campaign for President was illegally being spied upon (surveillance) for the political gain of Crooked Hillary Clinton and the [Democratic National Committee] … Republicans must get tough now. An illegal Scam!”He added: “Looking more & more like the Trump Campaign for President was illegally being spied upon (surveillance) for the political gain of Crooked Hillary Clinton and the [Democratic National Committee] … Republicans must get tough now. An illegal Scam!”
The New York Times reported it received a copy of the documents from the justice department after it and other news organisations filed suit. Pointing to intense political wrestling over the documents, Trump credited the rightwing activist group Judicial Watch for “being successful in getting the Carter Page Fisa documents”. The top secret documents were released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request lodged by a group of media outlets. But, pointing to intense political wrestling over the files, Trump credited the rightwing activist group Judicial Watch for “being successful in getting the Carter Page Fisa documents”.
Republican lawmakers have claimed the FBI made serious missteps when it sought a warrant to monitor Page in October 2016, shortly after he left the Trump campaign.Republican lawmakers have claimed the FBI made serious missteps when it sought a warrant to monitor Page in October 2016, shortly after he left the Trump campaign.
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said on Saturday “these documents provide clear evidence of ‘Russia’s coordination with Carter Page’, a high-ranking Trump campaign official, ‘to undermine and improperly and illegally influence the 2016 US presidential election’.”House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said on Saturday “these documents provide clear evidence of ‘Russia’s coordination with Carter Page’, a high-ranking Trump campaign official, ‘to undermine and improperly and illegally influence the 2016 US presidential election’.”
Michael Horowitz, the justice department’s inspector general, said in March that he would review whether the FBI and the department followed proper procedures when they applied for a warrant. Michael Horowitz, the justice department’s inspector general, said in March he would review whether the FBI and the department followed proper procedures when they applied for a warrant.
Republicans have claimed that the FBI used in part a dossier compiled by the former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele to justify the warrant, and failed to disclose to the court that Steele had been employed by a firm paid by Democrats to do opposition research on Trump’s business dealings. Republicans have claimed the FBI used in part a dossier compiled by the former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele to justify the warrant, and failed to disclose to the court that Steele had been employed by a firm paid by Democrats to do opposition research on Trump’s business dealings.
The documents released show the FBI disclosed to the Fisa court that the Steele dossier had been paid for by people looking to discredit Trump, and said Steele had “provided reliable information”in the past. The firm Steele worked for, Fusion GPS, was initially hired by a conservative website, the Washington Free Beacon, to conduct research on Republican candidates including Trump.The documents released show the FBI disclosed to the Fisa court that the Steele dossier had been paid for by people looking to discredit Trump, and said Steele had “provided reliable information”in the past. The firm Steele worked for, Fusion GPS, was initially hired by a conservative website, the Washington Free Beacon, to conduct research on Republican candidates including Trump.
Clinton, who beat Trump by 3m ballots in the popular vote but lost in the electoral college, spoke in New York City on Saturday. She said Trump’s behaviour around his meeting with Vladmir Putin in Helsinki this week was a “mystery” and warned that tech sources had told her Russian attacks on the 2018 midterms could spread to electoral infrastructure. Clinton, who beat Trump by 3m ballots in the popular vote but lost in the electoral college, spoke in New York on Saturday. She said Trump’s behaviour around his meeting with Vladmir Putin in Helsinki this week was a “mystery” and warned that sources had told her attacks on the 2018 midterms could spread to electoral infrastructure.
Last week, as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russian interference and links between the Trump campaign and Moscow, a federal grand jury charged 12 Russian intelligence officers with hacking Democratic computer networks in 2016, in the most detailed US accusation yet that Moscow meddled in the presidential election to help Trump. Last week, as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russian interference and links between the Trump campaign and Moscow, a federal grand jury charged 12 Russian intelligence officers with hacking Democratic computer networks in 2016, in the most detailed US accusation yet that Moscow meddled in the election to help Trump.
Earlier this year, 13 other Russians and three Russian companies were indicted on charges of conspiring to interfere with the election.Earlier this year, 13 other Russians and three Russian companies were indicted on charges of conspiring to interfere with the election.
Four former Trump aides have been indicted. Former national security adviser Michael Flynn and foreign policy aide George Papadopoulos are co-operating with authorities, as is Rick Gates, deputy to former campaign manager Paul Manafort. Manafort is in jail, awaiting trial on financial charges he denies.Four former Trump aides have been indicted. Former national security adviser Michael Flynn and foreign policy aide George Papadopoulos are co-operating with authorities, as is Rick Gates, deputy to former campaign manager Paul Manafort. Manafort is in jail, awaiting trial on financial charges he denies.
Trump-Russia investigationTrump-Russia investigation
Trump administrationTrump administration
Donald TrumpDonald Trump
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US politicsUS politics
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