No matter how the White House tries to spin the meeting between Donald Trump Jr,. Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort with Russian attorney Natalia Veselnitskya last June, new details continue to make it clear that the conclave was much more than just opposition research, as the son of the president has claimed.
NBC News is now reporting that another Russian was present with the three Trump officials:
NBC EXCLUSIVE: Also in DJTJr mtg: "a former Soviet counter intel officer who is suspected . . . of having ongoing ties to Russian intel"
— Kasie Hunt (@kasie) July 14, 2017
Though the official was not named, he was described as a lobbyist and counterintelligence officer. That would match the background of Rinat Akhmetshin, who was spotted traveling in the U.S. last year with Veselnitskya. Akhmetshin is known to be an English-speaking former member of the Soviet Army who also served as a counterintelligence officer. Akhmetshin has repeatedly denied he has ties to Russian intelligence, but American agencies have long suspected that he does.
Here’s the report from NBC News:
WATCH: @NBCNews reports a Russian-American lobbyist—A former Soviet counterintelligence officer was also in Trump Jr./Russian lawyer meeting pic.twitter.com/EifZRTw8pb
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) July 14, 2017
Social media lit up like the proverbial Christmas tree when this new information was revealed:
Lies, lies, lies… and then denial. Collusion. Treason. Lock 'em up – daddy and brother-in-law too.
— KaipoJack (@KaipoJack) July 14, 2017
https://twitter.com/outofcontroljb/status/885821856653213696
We are currently living in either the best or the worst spy political thriller beach read ever. I am not sure which yet.
— Diana Joy ? (@DianaJoy32) July 14, 2017
you mean when Donjr told Hannity "that's it, there's nothing more"…that wasn't true? Shoes aren't dropping, they're flying.
— Kendra Petrichor (@kikuandjuju) July 14, 2017
You could tell me that the reanimated corpses of Stalin & Lenin were at the Donald Trump Jr meeting and I'd believe you.
— Spooky Frankenstein aka Jesse Kellestine (@jessekellestine) July 14, 2017
One thing seems almost certain: In the days and weeks ahead, the news for the White House will continue to get worse. If meeting with a former Russian intelligence officer in the heat of a presidential campaign isn’t treason, then what exactly have the administration and it’s Congressional enablers changed that word to mean?
Featured Image Via CNN
