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Trump/Russian Connection Baloney |
| By
Stephen Lendman |
| The phony accusation is all about trying to denigrate, weaken and undermine
Trump, along with intense Russia bashing to prevent improved relations -
the notion anathema to bipartisan Russophobes. What’s going on is part of a diabolical plot to remove Trump from office for unjustifiable reasons, not legitimate ones, replacing him with an easily controlled Pence, a deep state puppet in waiting. Or if removal fails, assure his geopolitical agenda continues longstanding dirty business as usual, including no change in US hostility toward Russia. The ugly scheme makes reality seem like a Jean le Carre espionage thriller - the deplorable way Washington works. The latest tactic suggests Trump Jr.’s meeting with private citizen/Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya proves a Russian connection to his father. The June 2016 meeting attended by Russian national/US citizen/lobbyist Rinat Akhmetshin is offered as further evidence. He has no Kremlin connection. Yet he’s called a “former Soviet counter-intelligence official” because he earlier served in Soviet Russia’s military in a counter-intelligence capacity. It was long ago. There was nothing unusual or improper about his service. The Soviet Union no longer exists - dissolved in December 1991. Akhmetshin has no connection to the post-Soviet Russian Federation’s government. Yet he and private citizen Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya meeting with Trump Jr. last year has been blown way out of proportion. It’s being used by anti-Trump US political and media elements as possible “smoking gun” evidence of a nefarious Russia connection. AP News reported the following about his presence at the Trump Jr./Veselnitskaya meeting, saying: “In his first public interview about the meeting, Akhmetshin said he accompanied Veselnitskaya to Trump Tower where they met an interpreter.” “He said he had learned about the meeting only that day when Veselnitskaya asked him to attend. He said he showed up in jeans and a T-shirt.” “Veselnitskaya brought with her a plastic folder with printed-out documents that detailed what she believed was the flow of illicit funds to the Democrats, Akhmetshin said.” “Veselnitskaya presented the contents of the documents to the Trump associates and suggested that making the information public could help the campaign, he said.” “ ‘This could be a good issue to expose how the DNC is accepting bad money,’ Akhmetshin recalled her saying.” “Trump Jr. asked the attorney if she had sufficient evidence to back up her claims, including whether she could demonstrate the flow of the money.” “But Veselnitskaya said the Trump campaign would need to research it more. After that, Trump Jr. lost interest, according to Akhmetshin.” “ ‘They couldn’t wait for the meeting to end,’ he said.” “Akhmetshin said he does not know if Veselnitskaya’s documents were provided by the Russian government. He said he thinks she left the materials with the Trump associates.” “It was unclear if she handed the documents to anyone in the room or simply left them behind, he said.” The above account shows Trump Jr.’s explanation of what took place during the meeting is accurate. Nothing improper or out-of-the ordinary occurred - no evidence of a devious, covert, unacceptable or illegal Trump/Russia connection. Law Professor Jonathan Turley called the Trump Jr.-Veselnitskaya/Akhmetshin meeting the “worst spy story ever,” adding “the overheated rhetoric on possible (if not imminent) criminal charges is bizarre.” Claims about possible espionage and treason are “facially weak (without) foundation.” Nothing suggests a “Russian intelligence operation…” “Russians do not usually set up meetings at places like Trump Tower with an unknown number of persons to discuss secret operations.” Not a shred of credible evidence suggests an improper or illegal Trump team Russia connection. A Final Comment RT interviewed Denis Grunis, international cooperation department head of Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office. According to a 1999 treaty, Moscow sends information on relevant criminal activity to the Justice Department through established communication channels, he explained, stressing: “It is insane to think that the Prosecutor General’s Office would use a private lawyer to transfer information.” Separately, Sergey Lavrov said “(i)t is amazing how serious people are making an elephant out of a fly.” VISIT MY NEW WEB SITE: stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman). Contact at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. My newest book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III." http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. |