Coiling back to Russia

Coiling back to Russia

A few weeks back there was surprise at one of Trump’s twitter attacks on a relatively unknown Department of Justice official, Bruce Ohr – Why? Why him?

As the facts unravel we learn in court evidence of the criminal payments facilitated by Samuel Patten (a close associate of Paul Manafort) and also that he lied to a congressional intelligence committee investigating Russia links. The interesting detail here is that this committee has referred him and other witnesses they suspect of dishonesty to them to the FBI and Mueller investigation.  Among them are Donald Trump junior and son-in-law Jared Kushner. If any of them are found to have lied that is a criminal offence.

The New York Times reports Justice Dept. official Bruce Ohr worked with the FBI to try to turn Russian oligarchs into informants and focused on Oleg Deripaska an intimate of Vladimir Putin (known as Putin’s oligarch). Former U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade says it may explain President Trump’s recent criticism of Ohr. We now know Ohr was close pals with our Brit and former MI6 agent Christopher Steele, originator of a dossier of evidence and claims. Oh yes, and Ohr has been giving witness statements to the Mueller team from a few weeks ago…around when Trump started attacking him by name… some coincidence.