Senate panel probing Kushner over ‘dinner invite’ involving Russian national: report

The Senate Judiciary Committee wants information from President Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner about a request he received to set up a meeting between a Russian banker and Trump last year, according to CBS News. 

An email chain reportedly said that Alexander Torshin, a former Russian senator and banker with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, wanted to meet with Trump. According to CBS News, the request was made through an intermediary.

The email request was forwarded to Trump campaign officials, including Paul Manafort, before being sent to Kushner, who declined the request.

{mosads}

In turning down the request, Kushner told then-campaign aide Rick Dearborn and others not to accept requests from people claiming to have contacts with foreign officials, according to a separate NBC News report.

Kushner did not previously disclose the contacts, which lawmakers described as a “Russian backdoor overture and dinner invite,” NBC News reported.

Special counsel Robert Mueller and multiple congressional panels are investigating Russia’s role in the 2016 presidential election. In particular, Mueller’s probe is looking at whether members of Trump’s campaign colluded with Russian officials or representatives during the race.

Kushner has previously come under scrutiny for undisclosed meetings with Russians during the presidential transition last year.

Trump and his associates have repeatedly denied any improper coordination or contacts with Russian nationals during the campaign, and the president has called the investigations a “witch hunt.”