[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 119 (Friday, July 14, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H5876-H5878]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      DONALD TRUMP, JR.'S, EMAILS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 3, 2017, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gallego) is recognized 
for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.
  Mr. GALLEGO. Mr. Speaker, on July 11, Donald Trump, Jr., released a 
series of emails regarding his meeting with a Russian Government lawyer 
and an individual associated with Russian intelligence.
  Don Trump, Jr.'s, emails are a smoking gun. They prove that the Trump 
campaign was not only aware of the Russian Government's efforts to 
meddle in our elections, they were enthusiastic about accepting 
Russia's support.
  What follows are the contents of those emails. They painted a 
disturbing picture of a campaign, and now an administration willing to 
break the law and sell out to an adversary of the United States in 
order to advance their own petty interests.
  Our hope is that the American people will carefully consider the 
content of these messages and what they say about the fitness of Donald 
Trump and his senior advisers to hold high office.
  We will begin. There was a comment posted by Donald Trump, Jr., on 
Twitter on July 11, 2017. ``To everyone, in order to be totally 
transparent''--which we now know he wasn't even in this email--``I am 
releasing the entire email chain of my emails with Rob Goldstone about 
the meeting on June 9, 2016. The first email on June 3, 2016 was from 
Rob, who was relating a request from Emin, a person I knew from the 
2013 Ms. Universe Pageant near Moscow. Emin and his father have a very 
highly respected company in Moscow. The information they suggested they 
had about Hillary Clinton I thought was Political Opposition Research. 
I first wanted to just have a phone call but when that didn't work out, 
they said the woman would be in New York and asked if I would meet. I 
decided to take the meeting. The woman, as she has said publicly, was 
not a government official. And, as we have said, she had no information 
to provide and wanted to talk about adoption policy and the Magnitsky 
Act. To put this in context, this occurred before the current Russian 
fever was in vogue. As Rob Goldstone said just today in the press, the 
entire meeting was `the most inane nonsense I ever heard. And I was 
actually agitated by it.' ''
  End of email.
  Mr. TED LIEU of California. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. GALLEGO. I yield to the gentleman from California.
  Mr. TED LIEU of California. Mr. Speaker, I am going to be reading the 
email portions of Rob Goldstone to Donald Trump, Jr. On June 3, 2016, 
at 10:36 a.m., Rob Goldstone wrote to Donald Trump, Jr., the following:
  ``Good morning.
  ``Emin just called and asked me to contact you with something very 
interesting.
  ``The Crown prosecutor of Russia met with his father Aras this 
morning and in their meeting offered to provide the Trump campaign with 
some official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary 
and her dealings with Russia and would be very useful to your father.
  ``This is obviously very high level and sensitive information but is 
part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump--helped along 
by Aras and Emin.
  ``What do you think is the best way to handle this information and 
would you be able to speak to Emin about it directly?
  ``I can also send this info to your father via Rhona, but it is ultra 
sensitive so wanted to send to you first.
  ``Best.
  ``Rob Goldstone.''
  Mr. GALLEGO. On June 3, 2016, at 10:53 a.m., less than 20 minutes 
after that email, Donald Trump, Jr., wrote back:
  ``Thanks, Rob, I appreciate that. I am on the road at the moment but 
perhaps I just speak to Emin first. Seems we have some time, and if 
it's what you say, I love it especially later in the summer. Could we 
do a call first thing next week when I am back?
  ``Best, Don.''
  Mr. Speaker, ``I love it.'' His response was: ``I love it.'' I worked 
in politics for a long time. I have never been approached with 
information from a foreign government. But if I were, my response would 
not be: ``I love it.''
  My response would be: ``This is completely inappropriate.'' My 
response would be: ``Don't ever contact me again.'' My response would 
be: ``I am calling the FBI.''
  In this email, Donald Trump, Jr., showed his true colors. This email 
proves that he lacks basic integrity. The willingness of Jared Kushner 
to attend that meeting proves that he, too, is no patriot.
  Mr. TED LIEU of California. Mr. Speaker, after we finish reading 
these emails into the Congressional Record, we are going to discuss why 
it is a straight-up violation of the Federal Election Campaign Act.
  On Monday, June 6, 2016, Rob Goldstone writes back to Donald Trump, 
Jr., in an email at 12:40 p.m., with a subject heading: ``Russia--
Clinton--private and confidential.''

                              {time}  1300

  ``Hi, Don.
  ``Let me know when you are free to talk with Emin by phone about this 
Hillary info--you had mentioned early this week so wanted to try to 
schedule a time and day.
  ``Best to you and family.
  ``Rob Goldstone.''
  On June 6, 2016, at 3:03 p.m., Donald Trump, Jr., wrote back:
  ``Rob, could we speak now?
  ``D.''
  Then Rob Goldstone replies to Donald Trump, Jr., that same day at 
3:37 p.m.:
  ``Let me track him down in Moscow.
  ``What number he could call?''

[[Page H5877]]

  By the way, any email where someone says tracking someone down in 
Moscow might just raise some red flags.
  Mr. GALLEGO. On June 6, 2016, at 3:38 p.m., Donald Trump, Jr., wrote 
back:
  ``My cell''--we have omitted that cell number. Unlike Donald Trump, 
we do not give out individual cell numbers.
  ``Thanks.
  ``D.''
  Mr. TED LIEU of California. Then Rob Goldstone replies: ``Okay. He is 
on stage in Moscow but should be off within 20 minutes so I am sure can 
call.
  ``Rob.''
  Mr. GALLEGO. On June 6, 2016, just a few minutes after receiving this 
email, Donald Trump, Jr., wrote back:
  ``Rob, thanks for the help.''
  From Moscow thanks for the help, he should have said.
  Mr. TED LIEU of California. The next day, on June 7, 2016, at 4:20 
p.m., Rob Goldstone writes:
  ``Don.
  ``Hope all is well.
  ``Emin asked that I schedule a meeting with you and the Russian 
Government attorney who is flying over from Moscow for this Thursday.
  ``I believe you are aware of the meeting--and so wondered if 3 p.m. 
or later on Thursday works for you?
  ``I assume it would be at your office.
  ``Best.
  ``Rob Goldstone.''
  Mr. GALLEGO. On June 7, 2016, at 5:16 p.m., Donald Trump, Jr., 
writes:
  ``How about 3 at our offices? Thanks, Rob, appreciate you helping set 
it up?''
  Mr. TED LIEU of California. Later that same day, on June 7, 2016, Rob 
Goldstone wrote back to Donald Trump, Jr.:
  ``Perfect won't sit in on the meeting, but will bring them at 3 p.m. 
and introduce you, et cetera?
  ``I will send the names of the two people meeting with you for 
security when I have them later today.
  ``Best.
  ``Rob.''
  By the way, we now know today that one of those names just happens to 
be a Soviet counterintelligence officer.
  Mr. GALLEGO. On June 7, 2016, at 6:14 p.m., Donald Trump, Jr., 
writes:
  ``Great. It will likely be Paul Manafort, campaign boss, my brother-
in-law''--Jared Kushner--``and me, 725 Fifth Avenue, 25th floor'' which 
is Trump Tower?
  Mr. TED LIEU of California. On June 8, the next day, at 10:34 a.m., 
Rob Goldstone writes back to Donald Trump, Jr.:
  ``Good morning.
  ``Would it be possible to move tomorrow meeting to 4 p.m. as the 
Russian attorney is in court until 3, I was just informed?
  ``Best.
  ``Rob.''
  Mr. GALLEGO. On June 8, 2016, at 11:15, Donald Trump, Jr., writes:
  ``Yes, Rob, I could do that unless they wanted to do 3 today instead. 
Just let me know and I will lock it in either way.''
  That is some eagerness that this man has for this information.
  Mr. TED LIEU of California. On Wednesday, June 8, 2016, at 11:18 
a.m., Rob Goldstone writes back:
  ``They can't do today as she hasn't landed yet from Moscow, 4 p.m. is 
great tomorrow.
  ``Best.
  ``Rob.''
  Mr. GALLEGO. This email is from Donald Trump, Jr., sent Wednesday, 
June 8, 2016, at 12:03 p.m., to Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort. 
Subject, forward, Russia--Clinton--private and confidential.
  ``Meeting got moved to 4 tomorrow at my offices.
  ``Best.
  ``Don.''
  Mr. TED LIEU of California. So that completes the email chain.
  Under Federal law, under the Federal Election Campaign Act, you 
cannot solicit or accept any contribution from a foreign national or 
foreign country. The law defines a contribution not as just a monetary 
donation but anything of value, an in-kind donation, opposition 
research, anything of value violates the law.
  In this case, we absolutely have conspiracy to violate the Federal 
Election Campaign Act.
  I am a former prosecutor. I know it is very easy to prove a charge of 
conspiracy. You just have to have the person take one act in 
furtherance of the conspiracy. So in this case, when Donald Trump, Jr., 
replies back to the offer of this incriminating information, Hillary 
Clinton, and says, ``I love it,'' that is one act. He then proceeds to 
set up a meeting. That is another act. He then shows up at the meeting 
with Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort. That is a third act. That more 
than completes a crime conspiracy. We have in black and white right 
here a violation of Federal law.
  Mr. GALLEGO. The other thing that we have to consider is this: right 
now, there is a person who is in the White House who has lied on their 
security clearance--a security clearance that we use to determine 
whether we shall trust somebody with this top secret information for 
this country.

  Jared Kushner was in a meeting with a foreign agent. Now we know that 
he was in a meeting not just with a foreign agent but a former--
``former'' Soviet counterintelligence officer. Let me tell you 
something. There is no such thing as former counterintelligence 
officers if you ever work with the Soviets. Once you are in the KGB, 
you are always in the KGB.
  Why was that person in that room? It was not to talk about adoption. 
He certainly wasn't there to talk about anything else. But, if 
anything, he was there to pass information. The fact that Jared Kushner 
lied in his clearance, lied and omitted it until finally revealed 
today, really calls into question whether that man should be in the 
White House right now and trusted with this type of sensitive 
information.
  Ted, you and I were in the military. We both had security clearances. 
If we had this type of omission in our security clearance, what would 
have been our punishments?
  Mr. TED LIEU of California. Our security clearances would have been 
suspended immediately. An investigation would have been opened.
  I am glad you mentioned Jared Kushner because many of us are 
wondering, why does he still have a security clearance? Why is he even 
in the White House?
  Let's just sort of walk through a little bit of what happened with 
his security clearance. On the very first security clearance form, 
known as an SF-86 form, he lied on it. He did not disclose a single 
meeting with the Russians.
  If you read the form, it says: if you make a false statement or omit 
material facts, you can be imprisoned.
  He omitted all that information. He is then confronted, and what does 
he do? He revises it. So then he submits a second security clearance 
form.
  Now, it turns out he lied on that one, too, because he did not 
disclose this latest meeting that happened to be with a Russian 
counterintelligence officer. So then he had to submit a third form. 
When you look at his explanation, according to media reports, he said 
that his staff hit the send button too soon.
  Well, both Representative Gallego and I know that that is not how you 
submit the security clearance form. It is a pretty involved, elaborate 
process. You have to do this certification. Not only do you have to 
send it electronically, then you have to sign the paper and submit that 
with your signature on it--very elaborate.
  So now he is lying about the process in which he lied on the three 
security clearance forms. We don't know why he has a security 
clearance. We don't know why he is even in the White House.
  Mr. GALLEGO. What is the motivation for omitting this meeting? There 
are clearly emails, there are clearly pointed emails, saying: Why are 
you going to be attending this meeting?
  There is a subject line that says, Clinton emails. There is a subject 
line that has to do with a Russian agent, a crown prosecutor. Now we 
know there is a former Soviet counterintelligence agent who just 
happens to be there, and Jared Kushner omits it from his security 
clearance. That is not an accident. That is a criminal act, a criminal 
act that any other citizen in this country, any other soldier, sailor, 
marine, airman, if we ever did that, we would be quickly prosecuted 
under the UCMJ.
  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Would the gentleman yield for a question?
  Mr. GALLEGO. No.
  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Would the other gentleman yield for a question?
  Mr. GALLEGO. I am controlling time.

[[Page H5878]]

  

  Mr. TED LIEU of California. So let me follow up what Representative 
Gallego said. We have a person in the White House now with a security 
clearance even though he has lied on at least two of those forms. So 
there actually needs to be an investigation. That security clearance 
needs to be suspended immediately.
  But, also, for any intelligence official watching this or reading 
about this, how can you trust Jared Kushner when he lied on these 
security clearance forms and makes a mockery of the process?
  Keep in mind this is the same person who suggested setting up a 
secret back channel with the Russians at the Russian Embassy. So the 
only reason you would want to use Russian equipment at the Russian 
Embassy is to hide information from U.S. intelligence. So even if his 
security clearance is not suspended, I really hope that people working 
for him do not trust him.
  Mr. GALLEGO. If you start seeing and putting it all together, we now 
know that there is a clear narrative of Jared Kushner's involvements 
with the Russians.
  First, he tries to set up a back channel. Then he omits his 
conversations and meetings in a security clearance. He continues to lie 
even though he is continuously brought forth as being untruthful. Now 
we find ourselves in the situation where there is basically zero trust 
that this man in the White House with top secret clearance is not 
compromised.
  In conclusion, let me close with this. You just heard emails after 
emails. Imagine this conversation happening the opposite way. Imagine a 
conversation happening with a Democrat or the Clintons saying, I have 
information, and the word Moscow is said probably four or five times 
altogether.
  Imagine the idea that you are meeting in private, and then imagine 
all the follow-up lies that happened.
  What would be occurring right now? What would be occurring is what we 
saw last year: consistent oversight. But there is none. There is no 
oversight right now. Paul Ryan has not taken the helm and has not done 
any type of oversight. The House Republicans have abdicated their 
responsibility and have allowed Donald Trump and all those other 
members of his family and the administration who have been compromised 
to continue being a threat to our national security in the White House.
  This should not be the way. Partisanship should never be above 
patriotism. But what we are seeing right now is naked partisanship 
being exposed and pushed as far as possible in the hopes of protecting 
a faulty President, his administration, and his family.

  That is not American. That is not what any of us ever signed up for. 
We swore--whether it was in the Armed Services Committee, whether it 
was when we were in the armed services, or whether it is when we came 
here to Congress--to uphold the Constitution of the United States and 
protect it.
  Right now we can honestly say that that is not occurring. There is an 
absolute abdication happening right now of leadership from House 
Republicans.
  Ted, please close.
  Mr. TED LIEU of California. Let me conclude by saying that the 
President said that most people would have taken this meeting. That is 
just not true.
  Again, under the Federal Election Campaign Act, if you solicit, or 
conspire to solicit, or show up at a meeting where you expect to get 
opposition research from a foreign national, that is a violation of the 
Federal law. So, in fact, most people would not have taken this meeting 
unless they were crooked.
  We have an example here of what happened when the Al Gore campaign 
got information. They were sent anonymously briefing notes and things 
that then Bush was being briefed on and so on. They took that package, 
and they turned it over to the FBI. That is what should have happened 
in this case.
  In conclusion, this is a pretty big deal. We have people in the White 
House who believe they are above the law. The lesson in Watergate is 
that no one is above the law.
  Mr. GALLEGO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair would remind Members to direct all 
remarks to the Chair and to formally yield and reclaim time when under 
recognition.

                          ____________________