The ‘Special Report’ All-Star panel weighs in
This is a misinformation campaign. Backchannels happen all the time.
In the absence of a connection this is nothing but a conspiracy theory.
Shep Smith slams Spicer for ducking questions about Kushner’s Russia call
Shep Smith blistered white House Press Secretary Sean Spicer Tuesday afternoon for refusing to put Kushner contacts with the Russia story to rest.
Speaking with Politico report Josh Gerstein, Smith pointed out the obvious: that Spicer still hasn’t denied reports that Kushner held inappropriate meetings with Russians.
“Remember how they found out about it in the first place,” Smith asked. “Yeah a leak, But how? Here’s how they found out — they were monitoring the Russians. While they are monitoring the Russians, as the story goes, all of a sudden there’s Jared Kushner. There they are discussing a backchannel that doesn’t involve the United States equipment but Russian equipment.”
“If that didn’t happen, if Jared Kushner wasn’t trying to hide things from the United States, then why would he do that?” he continued. “If he didn’t do that, please deny it so we can move on. That opportunity was given today in the White House press briefing.”
Is Jared Kushner doomed?
Often called the shadow secretary of state
.. maybe brilliant, though he did manage to buy the nation’s most expensive building just before the 2008 recession hit.
Jared Kushner’s Role Is Tested as Russia Case Grows
Mr. Kushner, who at age 36 occupies an ill-defined role somewhere between princeling and President Trump’s shadow chief of staff
.. He is respected by virtually everyone and is working on programs that will save our country billions of dollars. In addition to that, and perhaps more importantly, he is a very good person
.. That relationship had already begun to fray a bit after Mr. Trump’s dismissal of the F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, which Mr. Kushner had strongly advocated, and because of his repeated attempts to oust Stephen K. Bannon, Mr. Trump’s chief strategist, as well as the president’s overburdened communications team, especially Sean Spicer, the press secretary.
.. It has been duly noted in the White House that Mr. Trump, who feels that he has been ill served by his staff, has increasingly included Mr. Kushner when he dresses down aides and officials
.. the most serious point of contention .. sister Nicole Meyer .. dangled the availability of EB-5 visas
.. In the following days during routine West Wing meetings, the president made several snarky, disparaging comments about Mr. Kushner’s family and the visas that were clearly intended to express his annoyance
.. Both men were reared in the freewheeling, ruthless world of real estate, and both possess an unshakable self-assurance that is both their greatest attribute and their direst vulnerability.
.. a deep confidence in his abilities that critics say borders on conceit
.. intensely proud of his accomplishments in the private
.. is given license to exercise power and take on a vague portfolio .. without suffering the consequences of failure
.. propensity for avoiding messy aspects of his job
.. he wants nothing to do with the legislative process
.. Mr. Bannon .. has taken to comparing the former real estate executive to “the air,” because he blows in and out of meetings leaving little trace
.. Mr. Kushner quickly forms fixed opinions about people, sometimes based on scant evidence.
.. Often, that entails soothing Mr. Trump.
.. Mr. Kushner has made it plain to them that they needed to choose sides or be iced out
.. Mr. Kushner remains infuriated by what he believes to be leaks about his team by Mr. Bannon
.. Mr. Trump admires Mr. Kushner’s tough streak, and shares his taste for payback
.. Mr. Kushner sees his role as a freelance troubleshooter
.. Mr. Kushner has quietly sought revenge on enemies