Kushner’s alleged Russia backchannel attempt would be serious break from protocol
Former national security officials say such communications are common for presidents, but highly suspect for transition teams.
“If candidate Trump, a private citizen, had a backchannel that would be very serious,” said Bill Smullen, who served as chief of staff to former Secretary of State Colin Powell in the administration of George W. Bush. “He had no business.”
“The fact that they would want to hide it not just from the U.S. public but the U.S. government is unusual, and then they would want to embed the channel inside the Russian intelligence apparatus, if true, is entirely shocking and unprecedented,” said Evelyn Farkas, the former deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia under the Obama administration. “It’s beyond improper.”
Conservative New York Times columnist Ross Douthat sums up the Trump situation aptly:
Read the things that these people, members of his inner circle, his personally selected appointees, say daily through anonymous quotations to the press. (And I assure you they say worse off the record.) They have no respect for him, indeed they seem to palpate with contempt for him, and to regard their mission as equivalent to being stewards for a syphilitic emperor.
General McMasters, one of Donnie’s ‘toadies’, in his role as National Security Adviser, has stipulated that he has no problem with Jared Kushner seeking a ‘covert’ communications channel with Russia unbeknown to American Intelligence. Remember that McMasters is a currently serving general in the United States Army and he is charged with protecting America against all hostile powers in the world! Also, keep in mind that, at the time of his attempted establishment of said channel, Jared K. was a private citizen just like you or I. So what McMasters is saying is that he has NO PROBLEM with you or I or even someone like David Duke attempting to establish a totally unmonitered communication channel with a foreign adversarial power like Russia or Iran or North Korea! This from a man who’s “day job” is supposedly protecting us from America’s adversaries! Doesn’t THAT give you a warm, fuzzy feeling at 3 A.M?
Night-Gaunt49[Bozo is Boffo] almost 7 years ago
The smoke coming from fires all around him. So far only a few Russian singes but that is one+ too many.
Masterskrain Premium Member almost 7 years ago
To Drumpf, denial is much more then a river in Africa. It’s a way of life!
Dani Rice almost 7 years ago
As the British used to say, “Nil combustimus Profumo.” (You have to be old, old, old to get that one.
Radish the wordsmith almost 7 years ago
Schizophrenic Tramp, on one hand he is an evil right wing extremist, on the other hand he is a Putin loving freak.
Radish the wordsmith almost 7 years ago
Kushner’s alleged Russia backchannel attempt would be serious break from protocol
Former national security officials say such communications are common for presidents, but highly suspect for transition teams.
“If candidate Trump, a private citizen, had a backchannel that would be very serious,” said Bill Smullen, who served as chief of staff to former Secretary of State Colin Powell in the administration of George W. Bush. “He had no business.”
“The fact that they would want to hide it not just from the U.S. public but the U.S. government is unusual, and then they would want to embed the channel inside the Russian intelligence apparatus, if true, is entirely shocking and unprecedented,” said Evelyn Farkas, the former deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia under the Obama administration. “It’s beyond improper.”
FreyjaRN Premium Member almost 7 years ago
T-rump is playing with fire. He’ll get burned, but not before too many others are scorched.
braindead Premium Member almost 7 years ago
Trump disciples all believe there is no connection to Russia.
They also believe secret communication channels between Trump and the Russians are perfectly OKAY.
Radish the wordsmith almost 7 years ago
Conservative New York Times columnist Ross Douthat sums up the Trump situation aptly:
Read the things that these people, members of his inner circle, his personally selected appointees, say daily through anonymous quotations to the press. (And I assure you they say worse off the record.) They have no respect for him, indeed they seem to palpate with contempt for him, and to regard their mission as equivalent to being stewards for a syphilitic emperor.
gammaguy almost 7 years ago
Donald Crankshaft?
wellis1947 Premium Member almost 7 years ago
General McMasters, one of Donnie’s ‘toadies’, in his role as National Security Adviser, has stipulated that he has no problem with Jared Kushner seeking a ‘covert’ communications channel with Russia unbeknown to American Intelligence. Remember that McMasters is a currently serving general in the United States Army and he is charged with protecting America against all hostile powers in the world! Also, keep in mind that, at the time of his attempted establishment of said channel, Jared K. was a private citizen just like you or I. So what McMasters is saying is that he has NO PROBLEM with you or I or even someone like David Duke attempting to establish a totally unmonitered communication channel with a foreign adversarial power like Russia or Iran or North Korea! This from a man who’s “day job” is supposedly protecting us from America’s adversaries! Doesn’t THAT give you a warm, fuzzy feeling at 3 A.M?