Kushner details Russian contacts for Senate hearing

Ahead of his meeting with Senate Intelligence Committee staff, Trump son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner released a statement Monday explaining several details about his contacts with Russians — all while denying collusion with Moscow during the presidential election.

Here are a few things we learned:

1. HE HAD FOUR CONTACTS WITH RUSSIANS By Kushner’s count, he had four contacts with Russians during Donald Trump’s campaign and transition. He met twice with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, once with Russian banker Sergey Gorkov and once with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya.

2. HE CAN RECALL TWO MEETINGS WITH KISLYAK The Russian ambassador has been at the center of the controversy surrounding the Trump team and Russia.

Kushner said he confirmed meeting Kislyak during an April 2016 event at the Mayflower Hotel. His second meeting with Kislyak took place in December.

3. HE CONFIRMED ASKING FOR A SECURE LINE During the December meeting, Kushner asked if a secure communications line existed at the Russian Embassy that would allow “generals” from Russia to discuss U.S. policy in Syria. The ambassador said this was not possible. In this, Kushner appears to confirm May reports that he inquired about using Russian diplomatic facilities for these communications.

Kushner disputed the characterization of his inquiries, which he said never came to fruition. “I did not suggest a ‘secret back channel,’ ” he said. “I did not suggest an ongoing secret form of communication for then or for when the administration took office. I did not raise the possibility of using the embassy or any other Russian facility for any purpose other than this one possible conversation in the transition period.”

4. HE MET WITH THE HEAD OF A SANCTIONED BANK The meeting happened at the insistence of Kislyak, Kushner said. Sergey Gorkov is an associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the head of the state-owned Vnesheconombank, which was subject to sanctions imposed by President Obama back in 2014.

Despite Gorkov’s ties, Kushner said they only spoke of Putin’s desire for better relations with the United States. “At no time was there any discussion about my companies, business transactions, real estate projects, loans, banking arrangements or private business of any kind,” he said.

5. HE BLAMED HIS ASSISTANT FOR SECURITY CLEARANCE ISSUES In the whirlwind of the presidential transition, which he said included separating himself from his company, moving to Washington and divesting assets, Kushner said that an incomplete draft of his security clearance form was sent to his assistant. His assistant interpreted a message to mean that the form was complete and submitted the draft, which did not include a list of Kushner’s foreign government contacts. The list was submitted later.