Trump Campaign Said To Have 18 Previously Undisclosed Russia Contacts: Reuters

Just when it seemed that Trump was about to put the Russian allegations in the rearview mirror, if only for the time being, thanks to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller tasked with overseeing the federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, this morning Reuters reported citing “familiar sources” that “Michael Flynn and other advisers to Donald Trump’s campaign were in contact with Russian officials and others with Kremlin ties in at least 18 calls and emails during the last seven months of the 2016 presidential race.” Specifically, the 18 calls and electronic messages took place between April and November 2016, a period that is already in the public domain as being the focus of ongoing investigations, focusing on Flynn and Trump’s ex-advisor Paul Manafort.
According to the Reuters sources, “in the conversations during the campaign, Russian officials emphasized a pragmatic, business-style approach and stressed to Trump associates that they could make deals by focussing on common economic and other interests and leaving contentious issues aside”
On the surface the story is a recap of what is already known: as Reuters itself points out inside the report, these previously undisclosed interactions “form part of the record now being reviewed by FBI and congressional investigators” which has now culminated with the appointment of a special counsel: one way or another, if Trump indeed colluded with Russia, as the daily barrage of media reports suggests, we will know shortly.

This post was published at Zero Hedge on May 18, 2017.