Trump Jr. to Make First Capitol Appearance in Russia Probe

President's oldest son will appear before Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Sep 7, 2017 7:03 AM CDT
Trump Jr. to Make First Capitol Appearance in Russia Probe
In this April 17, 2017, file photo, Donald Trump Jr. speaks to the media on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington.   (Carolyn Kaster)

President Trump's oldest son is set for his first appearance on Capitol Hill on Thursday as part of a Senate probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and a meeting he had with Russians during the campaign. Donald Trump Jr. will be interviewed by staff on the Senate Judiciary Committee, reports the AP. Trump Jr. released a series of emails in July detailing preparations for the June 2016 meeting; they show he took the meeting expecting he'd receive damaging information about Hillary Clinton in what was described to him as a Russian government effort to aid the Trump campaign. Special counsel Robert Mueller and the House and Senate intel committees are also investigating that meeting, and a grand jury has heard testimony on it. Per Politico, Trump Jr. may have violated federal criminal statutes prohibiting solicitation or acceptance of anything of value from a foreign national.

Staffers are expected to focus on the 2016 meeting, also attended by Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner and then-campaign head Paul Manafort, but they could also probe other possible connections Trump's family had with Russia. Trump Jr. agreed to the interview in July after the Senate Judiciary Committee subpoenaed him and Manafort (subpoenas were withdrawn after the two agreed to be interviewed privately). Committee Chair Chuck Grassley said they'd both eventually be questioned in a public hearing. Per Politico, Trump Jr. has also agreed to hand over relevant documents. Manafort met privately with Senate intel staff in July; Kushner met with Senate intel staff and House Intelligence Committee members. Trump Jr. is also expected to appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee. The House intel panel has sought to talk to him as well, though that's reportedly being negotiated. (More Donald Trump Jr. stories.)

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