Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Senate panel seeks records from Trump campaign crew
WASHINGTON — The Senate Intelligence Committee, seeking to accelerate its investigation into Russian meddling in the presidential election, has asked several high-profile Trump campaign associates to hand over emails and other records of communications and dealings with Russian officials and businesspeople.
The requests, made in letters sent by the committee in the past 10 days, are a preliminary step and open the way to subpoenas for anyone who does not comply, said two officials with knowledge of the Senate investigation. They said Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., chairman of the committee, was prepared to compel the Trump associates to turn over their records.
Among those who said they had received the requests were Roger Stone, an informal adviser to President Donald Trump, and Carter Page, a businessman and former foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign. Paul Manafort, former campaign chairman, and Michael Flynn, former national security adviser, also were sent letters, said the officials with knowledge of the investigation. Representatives for both men declined to comment.
Stone said he planned to comply with the request and noted that he has said in the past that he will testify voluntarily.
“I am eager, indeed anxious, to testify in full public session, have requested no immunity and am ready to go,” he said in a brief interview.
Stone said he has had no communications with Russian officials other than previously disclosed communications with Guccifer 2.0, the online persona that officials believe was actually Russian intelligence officers. Stone has acknowledged trading messages over Twitter with Guccifer.
Page was more circumspect. In an email, he said, “Although I will help in any way that I can, please note that any records I may have saved as a private citizen with limited technology capabilities will be minuscule in comparison to the full database of information which has already been collected under last year’s completely unjustified FISA warrant.”
He was referring to a warrant issued by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court allowing the Justice Department to secretly wiretap his communications. The warrant was issued after investigators concluded that Page was no longer part of the Trump campaign and was based on evidence that he was operating as a Russian agent, officials have said.
Page, Stone and Manafort are all under scrutiny in an FBI investigation into Russian election meddling and allegations of collusion by Trump associates. There are two other separate, congressional investigations — one by the Senate panel and the other by the House Intelligence Committee.
The letter from the Senate committee, which was jointly signed by Burr and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., vice chairman of the panel, asks its recipients to list all the meetings they had with Russian officials or businesspeople from June 16, 2015, through Jan. 20. It set a Tuesday deadline for a response.
Then, by May 19, the committee requested that the recipients hand over records of all communications — including emails, text messages and phone logs — with Russian officials or businesspeople from the same period. It also asks them for information on any of their financial or real estate holdings related to Russia and to list any meetings they know about between other Trump campaign associates and Russians.