Trump Appoints Kushner to “Fix Government” as Senate Investigators Plan to Question Him About Russia
There are two big stories today about Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and you may feel a bit of cognitive whiplash as you take them both in — because Trump’s appointing his relative to “fix government” (a chilling notion coming from these villains) at the same time as the Senate Intelligence Committee plans to question him about meetings he set up with Russian officials and oligarchs.
Trump taps Kushner to lead a SWAT team to fix government with business ideas.
President Trump plans to unveil a new White House office on Monday with sweeping authority to overhaul the federal bureaucracy and fulfill key campaign promises — such as reforming care for veterans and fighting opioid addiction — by harvesting ideas from the business world and, potentially, privatizing some government functions.
The White House Office of American Innovation, to be led by Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and senior adviser, will operate as its own nimble power center within the West Wing and will report directly to Trump. Viewed internally as a SWAT team of strategic consultants, the office will be staffed by former business executives and is designed to infuse fresh thinking into Washington, float above the daily political grind and create a lasting legacy for a president still searching for signature achievements.
Senate Committee to Question Jared Kushner Over Meetings With Russians.
Senate investigators plan to question Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law and a close adviser, as part of their broad inquiry into ties between Trump associates and Russian officials or others linked to the Kremlin, according to administration and congressional officials.
The White House Counsel’s Office was informed this month that the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, wanted to question Mr. Kushner about meetings he arranged with the Russian ambassador, Sergey I. Kislyak, according to the government officials. The meetings, which took place during the transition, included a previously unreported sit-down with the head of Russia’s state-owned development bank.