VLADIMIR Putin has said claims about Russian involvement in US elections are untrue and that the United States interferes with elections in other countries. The Russian President also dismissed as “a load of nonsense” the idea that Russia has damaging information on US President Donald Trump.
“I never met with him. We have a lot of Americans who visit us,” Putin said during an interview with a US television network. He added: “Do you think we’re gathering compromising information on all of them right now or something? Are you all ... have you all lost your senses over there?”
US intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia meddled in the presidential election to hurt Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton. Trump himself has been dogged by questions about any business dealings with Russia as well as reports of a Russian dossier of damaging personal information.Trump denies the claims.
“This is just another load of nonsense,” Putin went on. “Where would we get this information from? Why, did we have some special relationship with him? We didn’t have any relationship at all.”
A special counsel appointed by the US Justice Department and congressional committees are investigating. Former FBI director James Comey – fired after Trump allegedly asked him to drop an investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn and his Russian contacts – is scheduled to give evidence on Thursday before the Senate’s intelligence committee.
During the interview, Putin was asked about reports that Trump adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner attempted to set up a secret communications channel with Russia. Putin said he knew nothing about it and that he had not discussed with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak any meeting with Kushner.
“Had there been anything significant he would have reported it to the minister. The minister would have reported it to me,” Putin said. “There weren’t even any reports. There’s nothing to even talk about.”
Putin suggested that skilled hackers anywhere, including the US, could shift the blame for computer breaches on to Russia. He also alleged that the US actively interferes with electoral campaigns of other countries, saying: “Put your finger anywhere on a map of the world, and everywhere you will hear complaints that American officials are interfering in internal electoral processes.”
It appears unlikely that Trump will try to block Comey’s appearance before the Senate committee. The public hearing is expected to shed light on his private conversations with Trump in the weeks before his dismissal, including any discussion about the Flynn investigation.
However, there has been no final decision and Trump is known to change his mind on major issues.
Legislators from both parties urged Trump not to stand in the way of Comey’s evidence.
“Clearly, it would be very, very troubling if the President of the United States is interfering in investigations that affect potentially the president and his closest associates,” said senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee.
Republicans member senator Roy Blunt said Comey’s evidence would be critical to address mounting questions about possible obstruction of justice.
Trump could invoke executive privilege by arguing that discussions with Comey pertained to national security and that he had an expectation of privacy.
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