Posted on 07/17/2018 4:58:54 PM PDT by yesthatjallen
Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) on Tuesday called for the American translator present during President Trump's private meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to tell Congress what was said during the encounter.
In a letter to the leaders of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Pascrell said the panel should hear testimony from translator Marina Gross, who was the only other American in the room with Trump and Putin.
"Given the public concessions President Trump made to Russian President Vladimir Putin by siding against the U.S. intelligence community, law enforcement, and our military officials about Russia’s attack on our democracy, Congress and the American public deserve to know the details of their private conversation," Pascrell wrote.
His call echoes similar proposals made Tuesday by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-Mass.), who both said the American translator should testify in front of Congress.
Though Putin speaks English, both Trump and Putin had translators with them at the meeting in Helsinki due to protocol.
Trump and Putin met privately for more than two hours before their joint press conference on Monday. During the press conference, Trump denied Russian interference in the 2016 election and targeted special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation for souring relations between Russia and the U.S.
Trump's remarks were met with condemnation from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Though Trump on Tuesday insisted he supports the U.S. intelligence community's conclusion that Russia interfered in the recent election, he again said "other people" could have also been involved in election meddling.
A number of lawmakers this week have proposed ways to push back on Trump's original remarks.
Pascrell noted that translators are not typically compelled to testify before Congress. The code of ethics published by the American Translators Association says translators must "hold in confidence" any privileged information they come across.
"In general, any information that’s confidential has to remain confidential even if you’re an interpreter. For example, attorney-client confidentiality extends to interpreter," American Translators Association spokeswoman Judy Jenner said.
"But as a diplomatic interpreter, you are probably aware of how precarious things could possibly be."
"It may be unprecedented to subpoena a translator to reveal the details of a private meeting between the President and another world leader, but Trump’s actions are unprecedented in a way that harms our national security," Pascrell wrote in his letter to Reps. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) and Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), the chairman and ranking member of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, respectively.
Pascrell listed evidence that members of the Trump family continue to profit from their businesses, some of which have connections to Russia.
"Over the years, the Trump family has bragged about their financial connections to Russia," Pascrell wrote, citing several quotes by Trump's sons boasting about the Trump Organization's ties to Russia.
For example, Pascrell listed a time that the president's son Eric Trump said in 2014, "We don’t rely on American banks. We have all the funding we need out of Russia."
"Given this history, the American people deserve to know if Trump used his position or this meeting with Putin to continue to pursue his own financial interests," Pascrell wrote.
"I urge you to subpoena the U.S. translator so the American people can get more insight into the dangerous, jaw-dropping performance we saw from Trump in Helsinki," he added.
Why don’t they just put her in jail? That’s the new thing in Amerika.
Perhaps Pascrell is not aware that the USA intelligence community has been trying to frame Trump and remove him from office for the past two years.
President Trump was not referring to the intelligence community as a whole, but to those top level officials participating and contributing false statements to support the witch hunt. Those corrupt officials must be removed and replaced by competent officials with integrity and objectivity.
Fewer Dems elected since 1933 and they and they believe they need to drop more seats.
Once again, an idiot Dem shows he has zero understanding of our form of government and the separation of powers. Dems think that if they want something then they should have it regardless of what the laws, Constitution etc say. They are pathetic horses rears, sorry horses.
I am so sick and embarressed by the Democrats. When Strozk testified last week, I had to double check and make sure I wasn’t watching a meeting of Parliment! All civility is gone, they aren’t even trying to con us into thinking they’re good reps.
They’re acting like a bunch of 13yr old GIRLS!
Public concessions? These people are sick. in. the. head!
Executive Privelege.
FO...
your move...
Such positions are with sworn and signed affidavits of non-disclosure. You’ll need a whole lot of something to get a federal judge to buy in just to get the process rolling. I believe it’s congressional action level of protections. Presidential confidentiality privilege also plays in. Lots of mega-barriers.
That's why we call 'em RATs.
Yes, and I begrudgingly have to give them credit for that.
The opposition exists to be mocked.
They haven’t made the case for change in the coming mid-terms. Just the opposite.
What they can’t stand is Trump has made America stand tall and proud again.
+1
Like, with a cloth ...
+1
They are really afraid, aren’t they
+2
Russians must have a tanker load of dirt on Democrats.
Impeach! Can I inquire of the good lady from LA where the papers are?
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