Pompeo Affirms, Reluctantly, That Russia Tried to Help Trump Win

Mike Pompeo, U.S. secretary of state, listens during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing in Washington on May 23, 2018. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo acknowledged -- after prodding by lawmakers -- that he backs the finding by U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia meddled in the U.S. presidential campaign to hurt Hillary Clinton and ultimately help Pompeo, who previously was Trump's CIA director, was pressed by Democrats on whether he accepted that finding during testimony Wednesday before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Trump has hurled us into a constitutional crisis

To continue reading this premium story, you need to become a member. Click below to take advantage of an exclusive offer for new members: On Sunday, via Twitter, Trump demanded that the Justice Department concoct a transparently political investigation, with the aim of smearing veteran professionals at Justice and the FBI and also throwing mud at the previous administration.

Long-awaited OIG report recommends criminal prosecution of FBI and DOJ

The long-expected report by the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Justice has moved into its final phase. DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz has found, according to the Wall Street Journal, "reasonable grounds" to believe that federal laws were broken by the FBI and DOJ it their probes of Hillary Clinton.

Senate panel: Russia intervened in 2016 election to help Trump, hurt Clinton

Donald Trump Jr. told the Senate Judiciary Committee last year he did not recall ever discussing the Russia investigation with his father and said he didn't think there was anything wrong with meeting a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower ahead of the 2016 presidential election, according to transcripts released today of his interview with the panel. The committee released more than 1,800 pages of transcripts of interviews with Trump's son and others who attended a June 9, 2016, meeting at which they expected to receive dirt about Trump's opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Trump Tower Meeting’s Organizer First Dangled Putin Meeting

Donald Trump's bid for the U.S. presidency was just weeks old in 2015 when the offers for Russian meetings and calls started. A British-American publicist emerged with a swift invitation to visit Moscow, and possibly even to meet with Vladimir Putin.

Trump Jr: Can’t recall discussing Russia probe with father

Donald Trump Jr. told the Senate Judiciary Committee last year he did not recall ever discussing the Russia investigation with his father and said he didn't think there was anything wrong with meeting a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower ahead of the 2016 presidential election, according to transcripts released Wednesday of his interview with the panel. The committee released more than 1,800 pages of transcripts of interviews with Trump's son and others who attended a June 9, 2016, meeting at which they expected to receive dirt about Trump's opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Who Lost Russia?’ Isn’t Just an Academic Debate

These days, Russia is merely a big football for Americans. There's little demand for nuance, as some old Russia hands complained to Keith Gessen for his excellent article  published in the New York Times Magazine over the weekend.

Russian company attacks Mueller indictment as baseless

A Russian company indicted in the special counsel investigation attacked the case in an acerbic court filing Monday that accused the government of inventing a "make-believe crime." The sharp rhetoric from Concord Management and Consulting LLC suggests the makings of a pitched court fight and a fresh challenge to the authority of special counsel Robert Mueller, who was appointed by the Justice Department last May to investigate potential coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign.

Iran Foreign Minister in Moscow as Russia moves to save nuclear deal

Iran's foreign minister was in Moscow on Monday as Russia tries to keep the Iran nuclear deal alive in the wake of Washington's pull-out, pushing it into rare cooperation with Europe. Iranian state television Irib broadcasted images of Mohammad Javad Zarif in Moscow, saying he had arrived in Russia at 4am on Monday and was due to meet Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov.

Russian tycoon known for Faberge eggs tied to Cohen payment

Outside the rarified sphere of the super-rich, tycoon Viktor Vekselberg is mostly known in Russia for spending more than $100 million to bring cultural artifacts back to their homeland, including an array of Faberge eggs glittering with gold and jewels. By Vekselberg's standards, the money he laid out wasn't all that much: His fortune has been estimated at about $14.6 billion.

Russian firm pleads not guilty to election meddling charge

A Russian company accused of funding a conspiracy to meddle in the 2016 presidential election pleaded not guilty Wednesday in federal court in Washington. The court appearance was the first by any of the Russian defendants accused by special counsel Robert Mueller of participating in a covert social media campaign aimed in part at helping Donald Trump defeat Hillary Clinton.

Senate Democrats demand Trump withdraw DOJ nominee over Russian bank ties

Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday demanded President Donald Trump withdraw his nominee of Brian Benczkowski to head the Department of Justice's Criminal Division, claiming his ties to a Russian bank could undermine the special counsel's probe. Mr. Benczkowski , currently a partner at Kirkland & Ellis , ran the Trump transition team at the Justice Department .

Russian firm tied to ‘Putin’s cook’ poised to plead not guilty in U.S.

A Russian company accused by U.S. prosecutors of funding a propaganda operation to tilt the 2016 presidential election in President Donald Trump's favor and stir disharmony in the United States is expected to plead not guilty on Wednesday at a court hearing. Concord Management and Consulting LLC is one of three entities and 13 Russian individuals indicted by Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office in February in an alleged criminal and espionage conspiracy to tamper in the U.S. race, boost Trump and disparage his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton.

Porn star lawyer suggests Russian paid Trump attorney Cohen

Stormy Daniels' lawyer said Tuesday he has information showing that Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's longtime personal attorney, received $500,000 from a company associated with a Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg within months of paying hush money to Daniels, a porn star who claims she had an affair with Trump. Stormy Daniels' lawyer said Tuesday he has information showing that Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's longtime personal attorney, received $500,000 from a company associated with a Russian Russia's President Vladimir Putin, left, and Renova Group Board Chairman and Skolkovo Foundation President Viktor Vekselberg, meet at Moscow's Kremlin.

Stormy Daniels’ lawyer: Cohen was paid $500K by Putin-tied company after election

Donald John Trump Sessions unveils 'zero tolerance' policy at southern border NY attorney general resigns after allegations of physical abuse Trump Jr. mocks Schneiderman after reports he abused women MORE 's personal lawyer Michael Cohen received $500,000 in the months after the 2016 election from a company run by a Russian oligarch with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Avenatti said that the funding may have been used to reimburse the $130,000 payment Cohen made to Daniels to stay quiet about her alleged affair with Trump.

Saudi airstrikes hit presidency building in Yemen, killing 6

Vladimir Putin has taken the oath of office for his fourth term as Russian president, in a ceremony in an ornate Kremlin hall glimmering with gold leaf. Vladimir Putin has taken the oath of office for his fourth term as Russian president, in a ceremony in an ornate Kremlin hall glimmering with gold leaf.

Like wrestling

So what's it going to be, America: a democratic republic, or Trumpistan? A nation governed by the rule of law, or an oversized kleptocracy, whose maximum leader uses the decayed shell of government to punish his political enemies and reward friends and family? In another way of putting it, the United States government increasingly resembles a professional wrestling spectacle - all scripted feuds and melodramatic revenge plots enacted by a cast of alternately sinister and clownish figures skirting the edge of self-parody. According to The Washington Post, President Trump has personally intervened with the postmaster general in a fruitless effort to double the rates Amazon.com pays the U.S. Postal Service to ship packages.

Leak shows Mueller would ask Trump about collusion

President Donald Trump is angrily protesting a leaked list of questions that the Justice Department's special counsel may want to ask him, while at the same time contending the list shows anew there was no crime or collusion with the Russians by his presidential campaign. But the questions suggest that investigators want to focus on collusion and obstruction of justice.