Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya said on Tuesday that Donald Trump Jr. met her to obtain “inappropriate” information on sources of U.S. Democratic campaign financing.
“The question that I was asked was as follows: whether I had any financial records which might prove that the funds used to sponsor the D.N.C. were coming from inappropriate sources,” the previously obscure Moscow lawyer told NBC News.
Donald Trump Jr. described his 20-minute encounter with Veselnitskaya on June 9, 2016, as “a total waste of time.”
“Her words were turbid, ambiguous and senseless,” he said in a formal statement. “She didn’t offer any details or new information.”
Donald Trump Jr. said he met Veselnitskaya to discuss Russian orphans in the United States.
The Kremlin has said the lawyer has no official ties to the Russian government. “We don’t know who she is,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Monday.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
