Donald Trump Jr. Declines to Answer Key Russia Question
Donald Trump Jr.
President Donald Trump’s eldest son  Donald Trump Jr.   declined to discuss with lawmakers on Wednesday a conversation  he  had with  his  father about emails related to a June 2016 meeting  he  attended with Trump associates and Russians  a congressional panel member said.
Representative Adam Schiff  the top Democrat on the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee investigating allegations of Russian interference in last year’s U.S. election  said  Trump Jr.  answered the “overwhelming majority” of questions from committee members in  his  hours of testimony.
But  Trump Jr.  claimed attorney-client privilege in declining to respond to queries about that discussion with  his  father because a lawyer was in the room when it took place. The discussion between then-Republican candidate Trump and  his  son took place after the emails became public  Schiff said. Trump Jr. released the emails in July.
Representative Mike Conaway  the Republican leading the investigation  said  Trump Jr.  had answered all of  his  questions.
 Trump Jr.  arrived and left without being seen by reporters.
Lawmakers said they want to question  him  about a meeting with a Russian lawyer in June 2016 at Trump Tower in New York at which  he  had said  he  hoped to get information about the “fitness  character and qualifications” of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton  the Democrat who was  his  father’s presidential election opponent.
It was at least the second time  Trump Jr.  has testified to a congressional committee investigating any Russian meddling in the election and possible collusion with Moscow by the  Trump  campaign.
 He  arrived shortly before 10 a.m. EST (1500 GMT) and was questioned for most of the next eight hours by members of the intelligence panel.
A person familiar with knowledge of Trump Jr’s testimony said  Trump  had said repeatedly he did not remember things he was asked about  including some details about information provided by Russians during the Trump Tower meeting.
Department of Justice Special Counsel Robert Mueller is also investigating. He has announced the first charges of  Trump  associates  and  Trump’s  former national security adviser  Michael Flynn  has pleaded guilty to lying to Federal Bureau of Investigation agents.
The House intelligence panel also released on Wednesday a transcript of testimony last week of Erik Prince  a  Trump  supporter and founder of the Blackwater military contractor. A focus of that testimony was a report that Prince tried to set up a “back channel” for communications between  Trump  associates and Russia. Prince denied such a plan.
Trump Jr.’s appearance coincided with criticism of the Russia probes from some of his father’s fellow Republicans  who control both houses of Congress and accuse investigators of bias against  Trump . Other lawmakers  Republicans as well as Democrats  say the goal of the investigations is to guarantee the integrity of U.S. elections  not to target  Trump  and  his  associates.
Trump Jr.  like  his  father  denies collusion with Russia. U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that Russia attempted to influence the 2016 campaign to boost  Trump ’s chances of defeating Clinton. Moscow denies any such effort.
President Donald Trump’s eldest son  [TGT]declined to discuss with lawmakers on Wednesday a conversation  [TGT]  had with  [TGT]  father about emails related to a June 2016 meeting  [TGT]  attended with Trump associates and Russians  a congressional panel member said.
Representative Adam Schiff  the top Democrat on the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee investigating allegations of Russian interference in last year’s U.S. election  said  [TGT]answered the “overwhelming majority” of questions from committee members in  [TGT]  hours of testimony.
But  [TGT]claimed attorney-client privilege in declining to respond to queries about that discussion with  [TGT]  father because a lawyer was in the room when it took place. The discussion between then-Republican candidate Trump and  his  son took place after the emails became public  Schiff said. [TGT] released the emails in July.
Representative Mike Conaway  the Republican leading the investigation  said  [TGT]had answered all of  [TGT]  questions.
 [TGT]arrived and left without being seen by reporters.
Lawmakers said they want to question  [TGT]  about a meeting with a Russian lawyer in June 2016 at Trump Tower in New York at which  [TGT]  had said  [TGT]  hoped to get information about the “fitness  character and qualifications” of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton  the Democrat who was  [TGT]  father’s presidential election opponent.
It was at least the second time  [TGT]has testified to a congressional committee investigating any Russian meddling in the election and possible collusion with Moscow by the  Trump  campaign.
 [TGT]  arrived shortly before 10 a.m. EST (1500 GMT) and was questioned for most of the next eight hours by members of the intelligence panel.
A person familiar with knowledge of Trump Jr’s testimony said  Trump  had said repeatedly he did not remember things he was asked about  including some details about information provided by Russians during the Trump Tower meeting.
Department of Justice Special Counsel Robert Mueller is also investigating. He has announced the first charges of  Trump  associates  and  Trump’s  former national security adviser  Michael Flynn  has pleaded guilty to lying to Federal Bureau of Investigation agents.
The House intelligence panel also released on Wednesday a transcript of testimony last week of Erik Prince  a  Trump  supporter and founder of the Blackwater military contractor. A focus of that testimony was a report that Prince tried to set up a “back channel” for communications between  Trump  associates and Russia. Prince denied such a plan.
Trump Jr.’s appearance coincided with criticism of the Russia probes from some of his father’s fellow Republicans  who control both houses of Congress and accuse investigators of bias against [TGT] . Other lawmakers  Republicans as well as Democrats  say the goal of the investigations is to guarantee the integrity of U.S. elections  not to target  [TGT]and  his  associates.
Trump Jr.  like  his  father  denies collusion with Russia. U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that Russia attempted to influence the 2016 campaign to boost  Trump ’s chances of defeating Clinton. Moscow denies any such effort.