Is Kushner next?

 

"Jared Kushner failed to disclose his role as a co-director of the Charles and Seryl Kushner Foundation from 2006 to 2015, a time when the group funded an Israeli settlement considered to be illegal under international law, on financial records he filed with the Office of Government Ethics earlier this year.

The latest development follows reports on Friday indicating the White House senior adviser attempted to sway a United Nations Security Council vote against an anti-settlement resolution passed just before Donald Trump took office, which condemned the structure of West Bank settlements. The failure to disclose his role in the foundation—at a time when he was being tasked with serving as the president’s Middle East peace envoy—follows a pattern of egregious omissions that would bar any other official from continuing to serve in the West Wing, experts and officials told Newsweek."  newsweek

------------

Syria is quiescent at the moment, North Korea hangs in the balance as a possible scenario for a major war.  Some people would like to steer me away from the subject of the Mueller investigation but the story is far too interesting for me to accept that.

I would think that Flynn's guilty plea is about developing leverage with regard to Kushner's oddness.

-  He did a poor job of filling out security clearance forms.  He did that repeatedly. Too good to obey the law?  I have filled out the same tedious forms many times and I can understand his reluctance, but, people can be hired to interview you and fill them out for you.

-  He thinks that he and his perfect group of experts (identities?) can bring the Palestinians and Israelis to an agreement over what I long ago came to see as a problem without a solution.  The difficulty is that the two groups' deeply felt desires and aims are mutually exclusive and not really subject to compromise.  The truth is that they both want ALL of the land between the sea and the Jordan River and in Israel's case a good many of them want a piece of Jordan as well.  Kushner will learn that both Bibi and the Palestinians are lying to him about their willingness to compromise.  But, his blindness to that is not a crime.  It is simply the result of his conceit and actual ignorance of these people.

-  IMO he is an agent of the Israeli state or the Jewish Agency who is unregistered under FARA.

-  It now appears that Kushner sent Flynn (perhaps the dumbest Irishman in the world - I am part Irish) to seek in the president elect's name Russian government cooperation in blocking a resolution at the UN that was unfavorable to Israel.  Did Trump know that Flynn was so dispatched or did Kushner take it upon himself to use his father in law's influence to send Flynn on this errand on behalf of a foreign state?  Is this a crime?  I know not as yet.  pl 

http://www.newsweek.com/jared-kushner-disclosure-form-west-bank-settlements-israel-white-house-729290

Comments

[b]

Slight correction:
"It now appears that Kushner sent Flynn to seek in the president elect's name Russian government cooperation in blocking a resolution at the UN that was unfavorable to Israel."

Kushner sent Flynn to talk to ALL UNSC countries. Russia was just one on that list and to make this about Russia is thereby not adequate.

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/12/01/politics/jared-kushner-michael-flynn-russia/index.html
(CNN)Jared Kushner is the "very senior member" of President Donald Trump's transition team who directed incoming national security adviser Michael Flynn to contact the Russian ambassador to the United States and other countries about a UN Security Council vote on Israeli settlements, sources familiar with the matter tell CNN.

[turcopolier]

confusedponderer

Yes, you are confused. The great majority of unfilled "slots" in the executive branch are for bureaucratic managers and various other kinds of drones. pl

[turcopolier]

confusedponderer

"That's the sort of things I assume Trump didn't want to see investigated or being talked about publicly." That is quite an assumption in the absence of any evidence. pl

[turcopolier]

b

Thanks. IMO that actually makes Kushner's action as an unregistered Israeli agent worse. pl

[The Beaver]

@ jdledell
an à propos observation:

As for how Kushner’s potential legal exposure in the Mueller probe might complicate the administration’s peace efforts, the former Israeli security official said it might be able to survive his distraction or even absence. Kushner’s function has largely been “to translate the Greenblatt product to the president and … when [needed], to show up with Greenblatt and be the message” that the Greenblatt team speaks for the president.

“If you want to look for a silver lining, this administration has been accumulating pro-Israeli credentials,” the former Israeli official said. “When they table a deal, it will be very hard for this [Netanyahu] administration to say no.”

https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/12/russia-investigation-jared-kushner-mideast-peace-push-saban.html#ixzz50M3gqWCw

[turcopolier]

dogear
"je seus jimmy?" What is it that you are trying to say? pl

[ex-PFC Chuck]

Here's the URL for The Intercept story:
https://theintercept.com/2017/12/04/trump-white-house-weighing-plans-for-private-spies-to-counter-deep-state-enemies/

[Greco]

The Kushner family is very influential and holds some sway in Democrat circles. I don't know if Trump could have become president without him. And he played the key role in bringing in men like Gary Cohn.

[LeaNder]

jdledell, what's your take on Trump's campaign promise and so far only postponed decision to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem?

The consensus is Kushner is in way over his head in many of his foreign affairs ideas.

Whoever wasn't before including Clinton?

I read Powers complete statement or her explanation of why the Obama admin choose abstention versus the usual veto on The Times of Israel. Published by the TOI staff.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/full-text-of-us-envoy-samantha-powers-speech-after-abstention-on-anti-settlement-vote/

[Greco]

Because cheaper energy prices in China, who use coal to fuel their country, makes them a more attractive alternative for setting up production than in the US, where they're banning coal. Lower energy prices in the US means its more affordable for manufacturing in the US.

You want to see the economy sputter and eventually collapse on the weight of its own welfare commitments to a jobless public? Ban coal, it will get the US there all the quicker.

[ex-PFC Chuck]

If ever there was an institution that illustrates the dictum that "absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely" the Catholic church in Ireland is it.

When Lord Acton uttered this famous quote, he was referring specifically to Pope Pius IX and his minions as they were ramming through the approval of doctrine of papal infallibility at the Vatican I Council. In violation of the precedents of Canon Law, free expression on the part of the bishops and other clergy who opposed it was suppressed and the lay Catholic Acton was the de facto leader of what opposition there was.

[SR Wood]

You mean the popular BBC series Ballykissangel was just looking at 60's Ireland through rose colored glasses. Darn!

[Greco]

He's set to leave according to rumours, but I think Flynn will give up Kushner in exchange. Kushner's lawyers will attack Flynn's credibility, since Flynn plead guilty to lying. Unlike Flynn, Kushner can afford very good lawyers and beat the case. I imagine Kushner will take the flack for ordering Flynn, thus "exonerating" Trump of any potential wrongdoing regardless of whether Trump did in fact order Flynn or not. And I don't see Kushner being exposed as some kind of Israeli operative, not while Zucker, Lack, Rhodes and others head major corporate news networks.

[LeaNder]

Thanks Frank, have been missing "the Dersh". Bias alert: I was highly pleased that a South African case in which he seems to have been involved as legal adviser has taken a different turn recently.

But strictly in our present context, I wondered too. My nitwit take: Considering we live in a 'democratic' society wouldn't we either as simple humans or collectively representing some interest groups have been quite free to lobby to change the vote too?

If we at least 'theoretically' are, then neither Flynn nor Kushner can have done anything wrong.

[Steve G]

Dubhaltach
Grew up in a Polish Catholic neighborhood. I attended
public school where as the majority of the kids went
to the now renamed Pope John Paul II school within
the church. Had to fight my way home and on the
local school yard a half a block where I lived too
many times to remember. The boys seemed the meanest
group I had ever encountered. Later learned the nuns
were ruthless disciplinarians as well as the “ brothers”
who taught high school.
And yes the Pope did visit the school.

[jsn]

Confusedponderer,
I agree with almost all of what you wrote here, in addition, entrapment was Muellers expertise at FBI: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/how-fbi-entrapment-is-inventing-terrorists-and-letting-bad-guys-off-the-hook-20120515 Which looks to be what he is up to now for an obstruction charge against the Donald: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/454311/mueller-strategy-obstruction-justice-investigation-leading-impeachment

What information Trump has on Clinton with regards to Russian uranium stock purchase and the Clinton Foundation is critical here as this Clinton Cluster**** happened on Mueller's watch at FBI and could make him look both partisan and corrupt.

[John_Frank]

On a somewhat related basis, this morning the media was reporting that Mueller had subpoenaed records from Deutsche Bank.

1. Read for example this piece by Reuters:

Deutsche Bank gets subpoena from Mueller on Trump accounts: source
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-deutsche-bank/deutsche-bank-gets-subpoena-from-mueller-on-trump-accounts-source-idUSKBN1DZ0XN

However, according to John Roberts of Fox News:

Fox News John Roberts: Mueller has NOT issued a subpoena for Deutsche Bank
https://t.co/vy6NRdvi77

According to the Reuters report, the reason that Mueller wanted to see certain records are two fold:

"A U.S. official with knowledge of Mueller’s probe said one reason for the subpoenas was to find out whether Deutsche Bank may have sold some of Trump’s mortgage or other loans to Russian state development bank VEB or other Russian banks that now are under U.S. and European Union sanctions.

Holding such debt, particularly if some of it was or is coming due, could potentially give Russian banks some leverage over Trump, especially if they are state-owned, said a second U.S. official familiar with Russian intelligence methods.

“One obvious question is why Trump and those around him expressed interest in improving relations with Russia as a top foreign policy priority, and whether or not any personal considerations played any part in that,” the second official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

A source close to Deutsche Bank said the bank had run checks on Trump’s financial dealings with Russia.

During his election campaign, Trump said he would seek to improve ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which were strained during President Barack Obama’s administration.

There was no immediate response to the Deutsche Bank subpoena from Trump’s lawyers.

The subpoena was earlier reported by German daily Handelsblatt."

To repeat, according to one unnamed US official, Mueller wants to know:

“One obvious question is why Trump and those around him expressed interest in improving relations with Russia as a top foreign policy priority, and whether or not any personal considerations played any part in that,” the second official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

So, wanting to have better relations with Russia is now a crime?

2. As to Bloomberg, this morning, Jennifer Jacobs tweeted:

Deutsche Bank management is ready to share information about the lender’s dealings with Trump, a bank executive told Bloomberg.
https://twitter.com/JenniferJJacobs/status/938033568198033413

She did that after posting a link to this article with the headline in her tweet:

Mueller investigation goes after Trump’s bank records.
https://twitter.com/JenniferJJacobs/status/938018356476727296

Mueller Subpoenas Trump Deutsche Bank Records
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-05/deutsche-bank-is-said-to-have-received-subpoena-on-client-trump

3. Also, if John Roberts is correct, (and I suspect that he is) that no subpoena has been issued, has not the reputation of Reuters and Bloomberg been blown up by their reporting?

It looks like someone is seeking to "shape the narrative" with misleading reporting.

[Croesus]

Perhaps "nitwit" is not the word you're looking for; that word is demeaning. You might be looking for something more like, "from my limited understanding," or, "as clearly as I can figure it out . . ."

"Nitwit" just means, "i'm scatterbrained and dumb," and you are not that.

[Laura]

Greco -- I'll bet Kushner is the one they love to hate...someone is going to give him up because of who he is married to. They can't go after her, but they can sure do him in.

"Sacraficial zink."

[Babak Makkinejad]

I agree with this.

But I have my doubts about her being a German; or else they do not teach anything useful in the gymnasia.

[Fred]

Dubhaltach,

"this pattern of institutionalised savagery ..."
I am reliably informed by multiple US Senators that 1 in 5 women on college campuses in the US are sexually assaulted. There are zero warnings posted on any of them; zero university presidents have been fired because of this particular version of "instutionalized" savagery. Zero of these senators nor the president from the same political party have called for a "statutory Tribunal of Enquiry" - yet. However there is a fine campaign to create a narrative about male sexuality. "Toxic Masculinity". Today's edition of USA Today has a page and a half contribution to same. I am shocked, just shocked, that the author, Jessica Guynn, made zero mention of Senator (((Franken))) or Harvey (((Weinstein))) or just what political party they belong to. Who - Whom is still a question forbidden in the mainstream media. All of which has nothing to do with the topic of the thread.

[Fred]

John Frank,

Did you miss that ABC News suspending Brian Ross for his last fake news report about the Trump investigation?

[John_Frank]

No.

[John_Frank]

More from John Roberts of Fox News:

On the record from @realDonaldTrump attorney @JaySekulow - NO SUBPOENA TO DEUTSCHE BAN

https://twitter.com/johnrobertsFox/status/938144926956695552

How difficult is it for members of the press to trot on down to the Federal District Court in Washington, D.C. and check the court records?

[Keith Harbaugh]

Fred, and others:
As usual, I intended to "Preview" that comment before posting it.
I was working fast, and after entering the draft text,
with a number of embedded carriage returns,
(like those in this comment),
I entered my name and email address,
then intended to Preview the message.
Unfortunately, working fast and without thinking, I again hit "Enter" (on the keyboard) after entering the email address,
rather than clicking on "Preview".
That keyboard "Enter", outside of the text entry box,
posted the offending comment.
Very sorry; I apologize.
Thanks to FB Ali for closing the guilty HTML tag
(his reply is where the bolding currently ends).
And thanks to Col. Lang for accepting the comment.