Report: Jared Kushner a focus of Russia probe

(Photo by Brooks Kraft/ Getty Images)

Credit: Brooks Kraft

Credit: Brooks Kraft

(Photo by Brooks Kraft/ Getty Images)

UPDATE May 26, 8:00 p.m. The Washington Post reported Friday that in December Russian ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak told his superiors that Kushner discussed setting a up a secret communications channel with the Kremlin.

Kushner, according to the report, asked Kislyak about using Russia’s diplomatic facilities to prevent monitoring of the discussions. Trump’s first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, also attended the meeting, which was not under U.S. surveillance, according to officials.

The White House disclosed the meeting in March, but people familiar with the matter told The Post the meeting is of investigative interest.

The White House has not returned requests for comment, nor has the Russian Embassy or a lawyer for Flynn.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Is Jared Kushner, the senior White House official, a person of interest in the investigation into ties between Russia and the Donald Trump campaign?

Thursday, The Post reported that Jared Kushner is under investigation "because of the extent and nature of his interactions with the Russians," citing unnamed people familiar with the investigation.

Investigators are looking specifically at meetings held by Kushner, who is also the president’s son-in-law as well as an adviser, as part of their investigation into Russia’s pull in the 2016 election, The Post reported.

Kushner has said that he will cooperate with the federal investigators, The Associated Press reported.

In a statement released by attorney Jamie Gorelick, “Mr. Kushner previously volunteered to share with Congress what he knows about these meetings. He will do the same if he is contacted in connection with any other inquiry.”

The FBI and the Congressional oversight committee, in addition to other Congressional panels, are looking into what role, if any, Russia had in the 2016 presidential election.

The Post and the AP said that the investigation does not mean that Kushner himself is a suspect of a crime.

Last week, The Washington Post has reported that Kushner, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson are current Trump administration officials who have acknowledged contact with Russian officials, according to the report.

The source was not named, but was described as someone close to Trump in the story that was originally released minutes after Trump and his advisors departed for his first overseas trip as president.