Jared Kushner Agrees To Speak To Senate Panel About Russia
WASHINGTON (CBSNewYork/AP) -- President Donald Trump's son-in-law has volunteered to answer questions before the Senate Intelligence Committee about arranging meetings with the Russian ambassador and other officials.
Jared Kushner has agreed to speak with North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr's committee but has not yet received confirmation of a meeting, the White House said.
The White House noted that throughout the 2016 presidential campaign and transition Kushner served as the main point of contact with foreign governments and officials.
White House Spokesman Sean Spicer said Monday that there was nothing "nefarious'' about Kushner's contacts with foreign leaders during the campaign and transition since it was the job he was tasked to do.
Spicer said that "based on the media frenzy'' surrounding contacts Trump associates have made with Russian officials in particular, Kushner "volunteered'' to meet with to be interviewed by the Senate committee about arranging meetings with the Russian ambassador and other officials.
Spicer says "that was part of his role and he executed it completely as he was supposed to.''
The White House has confirmed Kushner and Russia's ambassador to the U.S., Sergey Kislyak, met once in early December. Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn was also at that meeting. He resigned from that post last month after admitting that he misled Vice President Mike Pence and others about his contacts with the Russian ambassador.
It was not immediately clear when or how the questioning would take place or whether Kushner would be under oath.
Lawmakers have been investigating possible ties between Trump's campaign and Russian officials and whether Russia meddled in the 2016 election.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)