U.S. special counsel probes Seychelles meeting with Russian: Washington Post

[mystery-ak]

March 7, 2018 / 8:56 PM / Updated 11 hours ago
U.S. special counsel probes Seychelles meeting with Russian: Washington Post

Reuters Staff



WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. special counsel investigating possible Russian meddling in the 2016 election has gathered evidence that a secret meeting in the Seychelles in January 2017 was an attempt to set up a back-channel between the incoming Trump administration and the Kremlin, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday.

Erik Prince, founder of military contractor Blackwater and a supporter of President Donald Trump, told U.S. lawmakers last year he had discussed U.S.-Russia relations during a meeting in the Seychelles with a Russian business executive with ties to the Kremlin.

more
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-seychelles/u-s-special-counsel-probes-seychelles-meeting-with-russian-washington-post-idUSKCN1GK0A0

[Sanguine]

I'm not sure why this is a concern, but CNN is breathless over it:

CNN Digital Expansion DC Marshall Cohen

By Manu Raju and Marshall Cohen, CNN

Updated 9:43 PM ET, Wed March 7, 201
Democrats: Prince may have misled House panel

(CNN)The founder of the security firm Blackwater did not mention to the House Intelligence Committee last year that a Lebanese-American businessman had attended a meeting in the Seychelles islands, a trip that has come under intense scrutiny in the Russia investigation, according to a review of the transcript.

In testimony last November before the panel, Erik Prince was questioned extensively about the January 2017 Seychelles meeting and whether it was an attempt to set up secret communications between the Trump administration and Russia. As Prince furiously denied that was the case, he also did not reveal that George Nader -- a Lebanese-American businessman and Middle East specialist with ties to the Trump team -- also attended at least one meeting there, raising fresh questions among Democrats about whether Prince misled the panel when testifying under oath.

Prince, a Trump associate and brother of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, disclosed to the committee that he had met with United Arab Emirates officials and a Russian banker, Kirill Dmitriev, during that trip....

https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/07/politics/erik-prince-russia-investigation-seychelles/index.html

[MOD3]

Two stories on the same subject combined.

[jpsb]

Evidently Mueller thinks it is illegal for the president elect to have a conservation with other
foreign leaders.

[skeeter]

I'm not sure why this is a concern, but CNN is breathless over it:

A new administration seeking a back channel with a traditional rival country's government. Big effing deal.

Gotta keep the narrative alive.

Does anyone still think Mueller has an ounce of integrity?