Kushner, Manafort meet with congressional investigators

Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law and senior advisor, arrives on Capitol Hill to meet with the House Intelligence Committee on his contacts with Russian officials during the general election, at the Capitol Building in Washington, DC on July 25, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

WASHINGTON — Two key members of President Donald Trump's presidential campaign met Tuesday with congressional investigators probing Russia's interference in the 2016 election and possible collusion with Trump associates.

Trump's son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner returned to Capitol Hill for a second day of private meetings, this time for a closed-door conversation with lawmakers on the House Intelligence Committee.

Separately, former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort met with bipartisan staff of the Senate intelligence committee and "answered their questions fully," his spokesman, Jason Maloni, said.

Manafort's discussion with the committee staff was confined to his recollection of a June 2016 meeting with a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower, according to two people familiar with the interview. Both demanded anonymity to discuss details because the interview occurred behind closed doors.

Manafort also turned over his contemporaneous notes documenting the meeting, one said. The other person said Manafort has agreed to additional interviews with the Senate intelligence committee staff on other topics. Those meetings haven't yet been scheduled.

Kushner spent about three hours Tuesday behind closed doors with the House committee.

"I found him to be straightforward, forthcoming, wanted to answer every question we had," said Republican Rep. Mike Conaway of Texas, who is leading the panel's Russia probe. He said Kushner was willing to follow up with the committee if it has additional questions.

The committee's ranking Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, said the questions touched on "a range of issues the committee had been concerned about." "We appreciate his voluntary willingness to come and testify today," Schiff added.

AP