<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>AP</span></p><p class="caption">Robert Mueller.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul><li><strong>The special counsel Robert Mueller has reportedly learned of several other meetings in the Seychelles that took place around the same time as one between an informal Trump campaign adviser, the Emirati crown prince, and a Russian investor linked to President Vladimir Putin.</strong></li><li><strong>The development comes as Mueller broadens his focus to examine whether foreign governments sought to influence the platforms of President Donald Trump's campaign or administration.</strong></li><li><strong>According to NJ Advance Media, wealthy officials from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Singapore landed at the Seychelles around the same time as officials representing the US, Russia, and the UAE.</strong></li></ul><p>The special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 US election has expanded to focus on several previously unreported meetings that took place in the Seychelles islands, <a href="http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2018/04/exclusive_robert_muellers_team_in_charge_of_invest.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NJ Advance Media reported</a> on Tuesday.</p><p>The meetings are said to have occurred around the same time as one between an associate of President Donald Trump, Emirati officials, and a Russian hedge fund manager linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin.</p><p>According to NJ Advance Media, several others connected to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Singapore flew to the island in January 2017. In one instance, a plane linked to the former Saudi deputy minister of defense reportedly arrived on the island.</p><p>Kazakh billionaire Alexander Mashkevich is also said to have been at the Seychelles around that time. Mashkevich is listed as a strategic investor in real-estate projects associated with the firm Bayrock, which has drawn scrutiny over its troubled history and connection to the Russian-born businessman and Trump associate Felix Sater.</p><p>Also on the island was <a href="http://www.sidracap.com/?q=who-we-are/leadership/shareholders/sheikh-abdulrahman-bin-mahfooz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sheikh Abdulrahman Khalid Bin Mahfouz</a>, the son of an influential Saudi billionaire, according to NJ Advance Media.</p><h2>What happened in the Seychelles?</h2><h2><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.fourseasons.com/seychelles/photo_and_video/?c=t&amp;_s_icmp=mmenu">Four Seasons Resort Seychelles</a></span></p><p class="caption">The meeting reportedly took place at the Four Seasons Resort in the Seychelles Islands.</p></div><p></p></div></div></h2><p>The special counsel has broadened his investigative focus in recent months to examine whether foreign governments tried used the Trump campaign or administration to peddle influence and push policies favorable to them.</p><p>The Seychelles meeting between <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/erik-prince-bio-photos-blackwater-spy-navy-seal-steve-bannon-senate-2017-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Erik Prince</a>, Kirill Dmitriev, and George Nader is one of several events Mueller is eyeing.</p><p>Prince was an informal adviser to Trump's transition team, Dmitriev is a former Goldman Sachs banker who runs a state-run foreign investment fund on Putin's behalf, and Nader is a Lebanese-American businessman who was there representing Emirati Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.</p><p>Prince denied that he attended the meeting as an official representative of the incoming administration, telling the US House Intelligence Committee last year that he traveled to the Seychelles to meet with potential business customers from the UAE.</p><p>During the meeting, Prince told lawmakers on the panel, the customers "mentioned a guy who I should also meet who was also in town," who turned out to be Dmitriev.</p><p>When he met Dmitriev, they discussed a range of topics, and Dmitriev stressed that he wished Russia and the US could resume normal trade relations, Prince said.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Iraq-Blackwater/7976d8d11f2e43c8a18c92abd9d56d21/11/0">Gerry Broome/AP</a></span></p><p class="caption">Former Navy SEAL Erik Prince founded Blackwater, now called Academi.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Prince said he knew Dmitriev was a Russian fund manager but did not know it was a sanctioned fund that the Russian government controlled.</p><p>Yet Nader reportedly testified that Prince knew the meeting was part of an effort to set up a backchannel between Moscow and Washington under the Trump administration. UAE officials are said to have participated in the hopes of encouraging Russia to distance itself from Iran, a major Kremlin ally and UAE rival.</p><p>Another layer emerged when The New York Times reported on a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/21/us/politics/george-nader-elliott-broidy-uae-saudi-arabia-white-house-influence.html?smid=tw-share">trove of emails</a> between Nader and Elliott Broidy, the deputy finance chairman of the Republican National Committee, who is close to Trump.</p><p>The two men pushed the White House to oust Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and adopt an aggressive approach toward Iran and Qatar, according to The Times. They also reportedly asked Trump to meet with the Emirati leader outside the White House.</p><p>Trump fired Tillerson last month, and the Trump administration has taken a tough stance toward both Qatar and Iran since last year. The Trump administration has also pushed hard to scrap the US's nuclear deal with Iran.</p><p>Meanwhile, Qatari officials <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/qataris-opted-not-give-info-kushner-secret-meetings-mueller-n855326" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claim</a> they have evidence that the UAE exerted undue pressure on Trump's staff, including Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/qatar-has-damaging-information-on-jared-kushner-trump-mueller-2018-3">Jared Kushner</a>, as well as other White House officials, through a series of secret meetings and business negotiations.</p><p>Moreover, according to the Associated Press, the UAE sought to gain additional influence within the US via a massive, <a href="https://www.apnews.com/e2a2ae7f178e4daf9202be7ef3232628?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&amp;utm_source=Twitter&amp;utm_medium=AP&amp;__twitter_impression=true">shadowy money transfer</a> last year.</p><p><em>Michal Kranz contributed reporting.</em></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jared-kushner-ivanka-trump-secret-deal-planned-parenthood-cecile-richards-make-trouble-2018-4">Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump tried to cut a secret deal with Planned Parenthood - here's what happened</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

Mueller is now looking into more mysterious meetings in the Seychelles

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Thomson Reuters</span></p><p class="caption">FBI Director Mueller testifies at a security threat hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul><li><strong>Special counsel Robert Mueller is employing more aggressive tactics in going after potentially hostile witnesses.</strong></li><li><strong>He has recently been stopping people of interest at US airports, and handing them subpoenas and search warrants for their devices.</strong></li><li><strong>Legal experts say this is not unusual, and can make it more likely witnesses will tell him the truth.</strong></li></ul><p><br /><em>Sign up for the latest Russia investigation updates <a href="http://e.businessinsider.com/join/the-russia-investigation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</em></p><p>Special counsel Robert Mueller appears to be acting more aggressively in pursuing potentially hostile witnesses, and is using a series of creative tactics that he hopes will make it more likely they will tell his team the truth, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/04/politics/mueller-special-counsel-investigation-russian-oligarchs/index.html">according to CNN</a>.</p><p>In recent months, Mueller has used the power of his office to approach a number of potential witnesses at airports, surprising them with search warrants for their devices and subpoenas to make sure they don't have a chance to wipe them. </p><p><span>In January, Mueller surprised Lebanese-American businessman and adviser to the United Arab Emirates George Nader in precisely this way. When Nader was returning from an overseas trip, FBI agents stopped and questioned him upon arrival at Dulles International Airport near Washington, DC, and also went through his electronic devices. </span></p><p><span>Nader attended a meeting in the Seychelles in 2017 with a Russian banker and an associate of President Donald Trump, and reportedly sought to <a href="https://www.apnews.com/e2a2ae7f178e4daf9202be7ef3232628">bankroll an effort</a> to get the US to take a tough stance against Qatar. He is now reportedly cooperating with the special counsel's probe and has given Mueller <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/george-nader-mueller-seychelles-erik-prince-trump-russia-2018-3">critical testimony before a grand jury.</a></span></p><p><span>Last week, former informal adviser to the Trump campaign Ted Malloch <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/30/politics/fbi-malloch-questions-mueller/index.html">said in a statement</a> that he had also been stopped in a similar fashion after arriving in Boston. Malloch was also questioned and had his devices scanned, and is scheduled to appear before a grand jury later on this month.</span></p><p><span>Now, Mueller has been applying this aggressive method to Russian oligarchs arriving in the US according to multiple CNN sources, at least one of whom was stopped and questioned after arriving at a New York area airport. Mueller is reportedly looking in whether these oligarchs indirectly poured money into Trump's campaign as part of his ongoing focus on the influence of foreign money on the campaign.</span></p><p><span>None of the oligarchs Mueller is interested in have been named.</span></p><h2><span>Using the crucial element of surprise</span></h2><p><span>Daniel Goldman, a former federal prosecutor, said catching witnesses off-guard may be key for Mueller.</span></p><p><span>"Prosecutors and investigators like the element of surprise when you can get more instinctive (and often truthful) responses," he told CNN via text.</span></p><p><span>Michael Gerhardt, a constitutional law expert who once served as a federal special counsel, said Mueller's actions are not out of the ordinary.</span></p><p><span>"Handing people subpoenas at airports might be surprising but it is not that unusual for prosecutors to become aggressive when necessary and surprise people - how people react when surprised can be telling," he told Business Insider in an email.</span></p><p><span>Mueller's team has also recently <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mueller-subpoena-trump-organization-tower-moscow-2018-3">subpoenaed the Trump Organization</a> for documents pertaining to its dealings with Russia, and in particular its efforts to construct a Trump Tower in Moscow, despite the fact the Trump Organization had been fairly forthcoming in providing documents when they were requested.</span></p><p><span>But Jens David Ohlin, a vice dean at Cornell Law School and an expert on criminal law, previously said the power of the subpoena gives Mueller leverage.</span></p><p>"The broad language in the subpoena, and the requirement to comply with the subpoena, gives the prosecutor the upper hand in that negotiation," he said.</p><p>He added, "Mueller will get the documents he wants."</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-the-1999-russian-apartment-bombings-led-to-putins-rise-to-power-2018-3">How a series of deadly Russian apartment bombings in 1999 led to Putin's rise to power</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

Mueller's team has been getting a lot more aggressive with how it approaches potentially hostile witnesses

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Lucas Jackson</span></p><p class="caption">Jared Kushner.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul><li><strong>Qatar says White House senior adviser Jared Kushner and others in the Trump administration were convinced to change their foreign policy by the UAE and Kushner's own business interests in the region.</strong></li><li><strong>Qatari officials reportedly decided not to share this information with special counsel Robert Mueller for fear of angering President Donald Trump and damaging Qatar's relationship with the US.</strong></li><li><strong>Kushner's business interests in foreign countries have come under scrutiny by Mueller's team, as it investigates whether they had any bearing on Trump's foreign policy.</strong></li></ul><p><em>Sign up for the latest Russia investigation updates<span> </span><a href="http://e.businessinsider.com/join/the-russia-investigation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</em></p><p>Qatari officials say they have information that the United Arab Emirates exerted illegal influence over White House senior adviser Jared Kushner and others close to President Donald Trump through a series of secret meetings that shifted the administration's Middle East policy - and they say Kushner's personal business interests in the region played a role as well, according to <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/qataris-opted-not-give-info-kushner-secret-meetings-mueller-n855326">NBC News</a>.</p><p>The officials claim they have discovered that George Nader, a Lebanese-American businessman who served as an adviser to the UAE, and Republican donor Elliott Broidy participated in a series of secret meetings that might have led to Trump taking the UAE's side in a <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-40173757">diplomatic row with Qatar</a> last year.</p><p>But the Qataris ultimately decided not to reveal this information to special counsel Robert Mueller's team after they met with Trump in Washington, DC in January and February of this year, NBC reported. Because the meetings with Trump seemed like they might improve the diplomatic situation between the two countries, the officials kept the information from Mueller for fear of angering Trump and spoiling any gains they might have made.</p><p>Mueller's team is reportedly looking into how Kushner's <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/mueller-team-asking-if-kushner-foreign-business-ties-influenced-trump-n852681">foreign business ties</a> in <span>Qatar, Russia, China, Turkey, and the UAE</span> might have influenced Trump's foreign policy. Earlier this month, The <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/?utm_term=.1693122bdbc0">Washington Post</a> reported that several countries, including the UAE, had <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/robert-mueller-investigates-jared-kushner-business-dealings-2018-3">identified</a> Kushner as a senior administration official that they could easily influence. </p><p>Trump decided to side with the UAE and Saudi Arabia in its row with Qatar soon after an investment deal that Kushner's family had been pursuing in Qatar fell through, according to the <a href="https://theintercept.com/2018/03/02/jared-kushner-real-estate-qatar-blockade/">Intercept</a>. </p><h2>Meetings in the Seychelles and the Qatar crisis</h2><p>All of this took place in the wake of several meetings, including one <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/erik-prince-lied-about-nature-of-seychelles-meeting-with-trump-and-russians-2018-3">in the Seychelles</a> that garnered public attention earlier this month, that involved Nader and people with ties to Trump, like private security entrepreneur Erik Prince. The purpose of this particular meeting was apparently to set up a communication back-channel between the US and Russia.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Sean Gallup/Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and German Chancellor Angela Merkel (not pictured) speak to the media following talks at the Chancellery on September 15, 2017 in Berlin, Germany.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Although Prince claimed he was not acting as a Trump representative in the Seychelles meeting, Mueller's team reportedly has evidence that he was.</p><p>The high-profile diplomatic falling out between Qatar and several powerful Arab countries including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt took place last year as Qatar was cultivating closer ties to Iran.</p><p>The Saudi-Emirati block accused Qatar of being a state sponsor of terrorism, and cut off diplomatic ties with it. Trump eventually took their side on the matter, despite <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jul/21/rex-tillerson-says-qatars-gulf-neighbours-should-lift-blockade">protest</a> from Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/meaning-of-fake-news-and-make-america-great-again-steven-pinker-2018-3">Harvard professor Steven Pinker explains the disturbing truth behind Trump's two favorite phrases</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

Qatar says it has unearthed damaging information on Jared Kushner - but reportedly decided not to give it to Mueller because they're scared of Trump

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">Anthony Scaramucci.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul><li><strong>The New York Times published a story this week that seemed to corroborate a key detail about a meeting between former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci and a Russian investor.</strong></li><li><strong>The meeting was first reported by CNN last year in a controversial story.</strong></li><li><strong>CNN retracted the story amid concerns over its accuracy and whether it followed proper editorial procedure. The three journalists responsible for reporting and editing the story were also forced to resign. </strong></li><li><strong>Tom Frank, the journalist who reported the CNN story and was later forced to resign, called the Times story "very interesting."</strong></li></ul><p><em>Sign up for the latest Russia investigation updates<span> </span><a href="http://e.businessinsider.com/join/the-russia-investigation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</em></p><p>A New York Times <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/george-nader-mueller-seychelles-erik-prince-trump-russia-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> this week about the FBI's Russia investigation appears to corroborate key details from a story last year that led to the firing of three CNN journalists. </p><p>CNN reported last June that the Senate Intelligence Committee was scrutinizing a January 2017 meeting between Anthony Scaramucci, who would later become the White House communications director, and Kirill Dmitriev, a Kremlin ally and the head of a sanctioned Russian investment fund. The story cited one anonymous source. </p><p>After facing public backlash from Scaramucci and others, CNN retracted it the next day, replaced the story with an editor's note saying it did not meet editorial standards, and apologized to Scaramucci. Three days later, the outlet asked for the resignations of the three journalists who were primarily responsible for reporting and editing the piece. </p><p>The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/the-story-behind-a-retracted-cnn-report-on-the-trump-campaign-and-russia/2017/08/17/af03cd60-82d6-11e7-ab27-1a21a8e006ab_story.html?utm_term=.9d0775adbf7c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that the episode was perhaps one of the most significant and public embarrassments for CNN since 1998, when it had to retract some of its reporting on Operation Tailwind, a US military initiative in which US forces allegedly used sarin gas during the Vietnam War.</p><p>Employees at the network told The Post that management acted swiftly to retract the story and ask for the resignations of the journalists involved because its publication had violated internal vetting and fact-checking procedures. CNN did not say whether any element of the story was inaccurate or misleading.  </p><p>Enter in The Times' report on Tuesday, which seemed to align with CNN's story. In particular, The Times reported that Dmitriev met with Scaramucci at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January 2017. </p><p>Russian state media quoted Scaramucci as saying, after his meeting with Dmitriev, that the Obama administration's new sanctions on Russia - which were imposed that month to penalize it for interfering in the 2016 election - were ineffective and detrimental to the US-Russia relationship.</p><p>The Times did not cite its sourcing when it reported on the Scaramucci-Dmitriev meeting.</p><p>Tom Frank, the journalist who authored CNN's story last year, <a href="https://twitter.com/ByTomFrank/status/971372943082213377" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted on Wednesday</a> that he "found the NYT story very interesting."</p><p>He did not immediately respond to a request for further comment. </p><p>The other key element to CNN's retracted story - that the Senate Intelligence Committee was looking into the meeting between Scaramucci and Dmitriev - remains unclear. </p><p>CNN did not respond to a request for comment that sought to clarify whether its retraction was based on editorial oversights or on inaccuracies in the story's content, and whether the network was reviewing its decision in light of the Times' report. </p><p>The Scaramucci-Dmitriev meeting came on the heels of a separate meeting Dmitriev attended in the Seychelles islands. That meeting featured Erik Prince, an associate of President Donald Trump, and George Nader, a Middle East expert and adviser to the United Arab Emirates' Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.</p><p><span>The meeting's purpose was reportedly to create a back-channel of communication between the incoming Trump administration and Russia. Emirati officials participated in the hopes of encouraging Russia to distance itself from Iran, a major Kremlin ally. </span></p><p><span>Nader testified to a grand jury in recent weeks about that meeting, as well as another one at Trump Tower in December 2016, as part of the special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 US election. </span></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nra-extremism-hurts-gun-owners-members-america-2018-2">HENRY BLODGET: The NRA's extremism hurts gun owners, NRA members, and America</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

There's been a new twist in a controversial CNN story that led to the firing of 3 journalists last year

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li><strong>Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said Sunday that it was "very clear" that President Donald Trump obstructed justice. </strong></li><li><strong>Nadler also said on ABC's "This Week" that his committee would be requesting documents related to more than 60 people close to the White House, including Donald Trump Jr., as part of an investigation into "obstruction of justice, corruption, and abuse of power."</strong></li><li><strong>House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy later waved off potential charges against Trump, saying "there's nothing that the president did wrong," and impeachment would be a politically motivated move from Democrats.</strong></li></ul><p>Rep. Jerry Nadler, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said Sunday it was "very clear" that President Donald Trump had obstructed justice in relation to special counsel Robert Mueller's probe.</p><p>Speaking on ABC's "This Week," Nadler said Trump's public hits against the investigation and apparent disdain for judicial officials and agencies were clear indicators of obstruction.&#xa0;</p><p>"1,100 times he referred to the Mueller investigation as a 'witch hunt,'" Nadler said. "He tried to protect Flynn from being investigated by the FBI. He fired Comey in order to 'stop the Russia thing,' as he told NBC <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news">News</keyword>. He's dangled pardons, he's intimidated witnesses in public."</p><p>Nadler also announced that his committee would be issuing requests for documents concerning dozens of people close to the White House and the Trump administration as part of a further look into obstruction, corruption, and abuse of power from the president.</p><p>"Tomorrow, we will be issuing document requests to over 60 different people and individuals from the White House to the Department of Justice, Donald Trump, Jr., Allen Weisselberg, to begin the investigations to present the case to the American people about obstruction of justice, corruption, and abuse of power," Nadler said.</p><p>Nadler has previously acknowledged the possibility of impeaching Trump, though has expressed a desire for caution before Congress pursues any action to avoid debates over politically motivated targets on Trump.</p><p>House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy later waved off Democrats' concerns and the threat of impeachment, telling "This Week" host George Stephanopoulos "there's nothing that the president did wrong."</p><p>"Show me where the president did anything to be impeached," McCarthy said, before casting the potential move as a political hit against Trump. "I think Congressman Nadler decided to impeach the president the day the president won the election."</p><div></div><div></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/president-declare-national-emergency-what-happens-2019-2">What happens when the president declares a national emergency</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

House Judiciary chair Nadler says that it's 'very clear' that Trump obstructed justice - to issue document requests for over 60 Trump associates

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><ul><li><strong>President Donald Trump took to Twitter on Sunday morning to attack special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, reiterating his claim that it is a "Witch Hunt".</strong></li><li><strong>Trump's most recent remarks about the Russia probe come as the special counsel's investigation enters its second year.</strong></li></ul><p>President Donald Trump took to <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump">Twitter</a> on Sunday morning to attack the special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, reiterating his claim that it is a "Witch Hunt".</p><p>Trump started his tirade by criticizing a story reported by <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/19/us/politics/trump-jr-saudi-uae-nader-prince-zamel.html">The New York Times</a> on Saturday that his son, Donald Trump Jr., and other campaign aides met with a gulf emissary who offered help for the 2016 presidential election.</p><p>The man who reportedly met with Trump Jr. and campaign aides three months before the 2016 presidential election was the first sign that a country other than Russia offered to help the Trump campaign. Foreign governments or individuals getting involved in US elections is illegal.</p><p>The man, identified as Lebanese-American businessman George Nader, served as an emissary for the crown princes of Saudi Arabia and the UAE.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/erik-prince-bio-photos-blackwater-spy-navy-seal-steve-bannon-senate-2017-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Erik Prince</a>, founder of the security contractor originally known as Blackwater, arranged the meeting, during which Nader expressed the princes' desire to help Trump win the election, according to The Times.</p><p>The meeting also included an Israeli social media strategist, Joel Zamel, who reportedly proposed waging a large social media manipulation campaign in favor of the Trump team.</p><p>Trump continued his tirade by attacking the Russia probe as a "Witch Hunt" and wondering when the investigation will conclude. Trump then suggested that the special counsel should instead look into former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's campaign, her use of a private email server, and the so-called Steele dossier.</p><p>Trump's most recent remarks about the Russia probe come as the special counsel's investigation unraveling Russia's interference in the 2016 US election enters its second year. It also resembles the shifting strategy of Trump's legal team from cooperating to adversarial with Mueller's investigation.</p><p>In the last few days, Trump's anger with the special counsel's investigation has been fueled by his <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/18/us/politics/trump-fbi-informant-russia-investigation.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claim</a> that the FBI&#xa0;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-trump-suggests-fbi-may-have-infiltrated-his-campaign-2018-5">planted or recruited an informant</a> in his campaign. After the president tweeted that accusation without evidence, his new attorney Rudy Giuliani told CNN: "I don't know for sure, nor does the president, if there really was one."</p><p>Trump continued his tweetstorm by saying that the special counsel's investigation will continue through the midterm elections this fall in order to hurt Republican candidates.</p><p>The president concluded his series of tweets on Sunday morning by criticizing Tony Podesta, the brother of former Clinton campaign head John Podesta. The former Podesta's lobbying work and firm have come under scrutiny from Mueller's investigation.</p><p>Read all of Trump's Sunday morning tweets:</p><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/corruption-is-contagious-how-political-corruption-affects-civilians-2018-5">Why some countries are more corrupt than others</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div></hr>

Trump goes on Sunday morning Twitter tirade attacking the Mueller probe, Hillary Clinton, and The New York Times

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Associated Press/Jacquelyn Martin</span></p><p class="caption">Blackwater founder Erik Prince arrives for a closed meeting with members of the House Intelligence Committee, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017, on Capitol Hill in Washington.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul><li><strong>A Russian plane with ties to the Kremlin flew to the Seychelles before a secret 2017 meeting between a Trump associate and a Putin ally, according to a report.</strong></li><li><strong>The special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating a series of meetings in the Seychelles as part of the Trump-Russia probe.</strong></li><li><strong>The plane was reportedly owned by Russian billionaire Andrei Skoch, who now serves as a deputy in the Russian State Duma.</strong></li><li><strong>The new details have prompted speculation over whether the meeting was truly an impromptu encounter, as the Trump associate has claimed, or whether they were arranged deliberately to discuss US sanctions against Russia.</strong> </li></ul><p>A plane owned by a now-sanctioned Russian billionaire who serves in the country's legislative body flew to the Seychelles the day before a secret 2017 meeting between an associate of President Donald Trump and a top Kremlin ally, <a href="https://articles.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2018/05/new_details_emerge_on_russian_aircraft_in_seychell.amp?__twitter_impression=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NJ Advance Media reported</a> on Thursday, citing airport flight data.</p><p>The meeting, along with several others in the Seychelles islands around the same time, has drawn scrutiny from the special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 US election and possible collusion with the Trump campaign.</p><p>Mueller was tipped off by a witness that the Seychelles meeting was arranged to establish a back-channel of communication between the US and Russia, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/mueller-gathers-evidence-that-2016-seychelles-meeting-was-effort-to-establish-back-channel-to-kremlin/2018/03/07/b6a5fb8c-224b-11e8-94da-ebf9d112159c_story.html?utm_term=.04ed74dcda79" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Washington Post reported</a> in March.</p><p>The meeting in question was between Blackwater founder Erik Prince and Russian CEO Kirill Dmitriev, who manages a sanctioned investment fund. George Nader, a Middle East expert and adviser to the United Arab Emirates' Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, also attended as the crown prince's representative.</p><p>Prince characterized the Seychelles meeting <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mueller-has-evidence-erik-prince-seychelles-meeting-backchannel-trump-russia-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to the House Intelligence Committee</a> last year as an impromptu encounter that occurred as he pursued a business opportunity with "potential customers" from the UAE, who later suggested he meet with Dmitriev, "who was also in town."</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite</span></p><p class="caption">Special Counsel Robert Mueller.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Prince said the meeting lasted no longer than 30 minutes, and covered a broad range of topics, including Dmitriev's wish that Russia and the US could resume normal trade relations.</p><p>In his testimony, Prince denied he attended the meeting as an official representative of the incoming Trump administration and denied discussing US sanctions against Russia with Dmitriev.</p><p>But the flight data from the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority shows that the Russian plane arrived in the Seychelles at 4:21 p.m. on January 10, 2017 - one day before Prince's arrival.</p><p>The plane is owned by Russian billionaire Andrei Skoch, who now serves in the Russian State Duma, NJ Advance Media reported, citing two people familiar with the plane's purchase history.</p><p>Skoch has also been sanctioned and placed on the US Treasury Department's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons list, which blocks their assets and bars Americans from doing business with them.</p><p>The six passengers on the plane also stayed at the Four Seasons Hotel during their visit - the same hotel where the meetings between Prince and Dmitriev occurred, according to Prince's House testimony.</p><p>The new details about the plane's ownership have prompted speculation about whether Skoch attended the Seychelles meetings, and whether sanctions were discussed.</p><p><em>Sonam Sheth contributed reporting.</em></p>     <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/corruption-is-contagious-how-political-corruption-affects-civilians-2018-5">Why some countries are more corrupt than others</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

A plane linked to the Russian government flew into the Seychelles the day before a secret meeting that Mueller is investigating

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Win McNamee/Getty Images</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul><li><strong>President Donald Trump rejected a business proposal from a close United Arab Emirates associate days before a Trump surrogate met an Emirati delegation and Kremlin-aligned Russian investor Kirill Dmitriev in the Seychelles.</strong></li><li><strong>Trump said he turned down the  proposal because he did not want to be perceived as taking advantage of the presidency.</strong></li><li><strong>The Trump Organization's name was included in several regulatory filings made by the Emirati associate's company after the 2016 election, raising questions about why Trump rejected the $2 billion proposal in January 2017.</strong></li></ul><p><em>Sign up for the latest Russia investigation updates<span> </span><a href="http://e.businessinsider.com/join/the-russia-investigation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</em></p><p>The weekend before one of his advisers met with representatives of the United Arab Emirates and Russia in the Seychelles islands to supposedly discuss a possible secret back-channel between the US and Russia, President Donald Trump rejected a $2 billion real-estate proposal from a close Emirati business associate based in Dubai. </p><p>Trump told reporters on January 11, 2017 that he had turned down the offer a few days earlier from the the luxury real-estate company DAMAC Properties, the Trump Organization's main business partner in the Middle East, which is owned by Emirati billionaire Hussain Sajwani. </p><p>Trump said he rejected the offer because he did not want to be perceived as taking advantage of the presidency. </p><p><span>"I turned it down," he said. "I didn't have to turn it down."</span></p><p>The same day, Blackwater founder and Trump associate Erik Prince met with George Nader, a top adviser to Emirati crown prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, and Kirill Dmitriev, the head of the sanctioned Russian Direct Investment Fund and an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.  </p><p>RDIF was penalized when former President Barack Obama imposed sweeping economic sanctions on Russia in 2014 following its aggression toward Ukraine and annexation of Crimea.</p><p>The UAE's and Russia's financial interests are somewhat connected through RDIF. The fund has jointly invested with lucrative Emirati companies on several projects in Russia worth billions, and the UAE identifies Russia as a critical economic ally. In the event that the US' relationship with Russia warms and sanctions are relaxed, the UAE could stand to benefit financially.</p><p><span>Moscow favored Trump over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election because it believed, in part, that if elected, Trump would be open to easing sanctions on Russia. Counterintelligence veterans believe that to be a key factor behind Russia's interference in the race and overtures to the Trump campaign.</span></p><p><span>The Trump administration declined in January to enforce additional sanctions on Russia which Congress overwhelmingly passed last year to punish Moscow for its meddling.  </span></p><p><span><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Reuters/Kevin Lamarque</span></p><p class="caption">U.S. President Donald Trump waves upon his arrival in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., March 2, 2018.</p></div><p></p></div></div></span></p><h2>Blurring the line</h2><p>Meanwhile, since taking office, ethics experts said, Trump and his family members have repeatedly blurred the line between the presidency and their personal financial interests.</p><p>Senior adviser Jared Kushner's family used his connections to the White House to lure wealthy Chinese investors to finance a Kushner property to secure investor visas. The Trump Organization <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-inc-podcast-extra-the-trump-organization-ordered-golf-course-markers-with-the-presidential-seal-that-may-be-illegal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ordered</a> new tee markers emblazoned with the presidential seal for golf courses. The watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington <a href="https://www.citizensforethics.org/profitingfromthepresidency/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found</a> that Trump and White House staff promoted the Trump brand on at least 35 different occasions since he took office. </p><p>It is unclear, then, what prevented Trump from pursuing the $2 billion deal with Sajwani. </p><p>Sajwani's relationship with Trump stretches back at least five years, when DAMAC launched the Trump International Golf Club as part of its $6 billion Akoya property in Dubai. Since then, the two men have developed a friendly relationship - Trump called him "an amazing man" - and their businesses <a href="https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/514412759430471680" target="_blank" rel="noopener">collaborated</a> on several real-estate ventures. </p><p>The Trump Organization said last year that it would not make any foreign business deals while he is president. The statement did not appear to apply to two Trump Organization-DAMAC projects that were already underway at the time. </p><p>Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., additionally traveled to Dubai last May to meet with Sajwani, and The Independent <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/donald-trump-jr-dubai-visit-real-estate-empire-organisation-father-us-president-a7742821.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that the Trump Organization's name appeared on several regulatory filings DAMAC made after the election. DAMAC's holding company also filed a quarterly earnings report, around the time of Trump Jr.'s visit, listing a new subsidiary called Trump International Golf Club LLC, which the company said it held a 100% legal and economic interest in. </p><p>DAMAC's and the Trump Organization's representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment. </p><h2>DAMAC's business ties to Russia grow amid US sanctions</h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BeaoKIHFgBu/?hl=en&amp;taken-by=hussainsajwani">Hussain Sajwani/Instagram</a></span></p><p class="caption">President Donald Trump and DAMAC Properties chairman Hussain Sajwani</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Meanwhile, DAMAC's interests in Russia have escalated in recent years. The company was in talks in 2010 with Rostec, another sanctioned Russian state-owned firm whose CEO is close to Putin, about the possibility of launching a $300 million real-estate investment fund. But DAMAC vice chairman Niall McLoughlin said the venture was not pursued. He added, however, that DAMAC was "continuously evaluating opportunities" in Russia. </p><p>Sajwani, who <a href="https://www.thenational.ae/business/damac-chairman-relishes-his-roots-1.478924" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has been described</a> as having the ability to "<span>cultivate important friends in high places on an international scale," </span>attended the grand opening ceremony in October 2016 for the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC.</p><p>Two months later, the Emirati crown prince traveled to Trump Tower in New York to meet with Kushner, incoming national security adviser Michael Flynn, and incoming White House chief strategist Steve Bannon without notifying the US government.</p><p>Special counsel Robert Mueller is now scrutinizing the meeting as he investigates whether Kushner's platform was subject to foreign influence from the Emiratis and others. </p><p>Weeks after the Trump Tower meeting, Sajwani and his family attended Trump's lavish New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago, and Trump called them "the most wonderful people." </p><p>The following weekend, Trump rejected the DAMAC deal. Shortly after, the Emirati delegation met with Erik Prince and Kirill Dmitriev in the Seychelles. </p><p>Prince told lawmakers last year that the UAE introduced him to Dmitriev, but <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-donors-meeting-with-russian-executive-draws-scrutiny-of-special-counsel-mueller-1520563593" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nader reportedly told Mueller</a> that Emirati officials did not made the introduction. </p><p>Sajwani and Trump were reunited this year at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Sajwani <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BeaoKIHFgBu/?hl=en&amp;taken-by=hussainsajwani" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted a photo</a> on Instagram shortly after. </p><p>"<span>A delightful end to a busy three days @WorldEconomicForum, </span><span>I spent my final hour at a reception honoring my dear friend, President Trump @realdonaldtrump</span><span>, the first U.S. President to visit Davos in almost 20 years," the caption read.</span></p>     <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/henry-blodget-will-arming-teachers-guns-help-stop-school-shootings-2018-2">Henry Blodget: Will arming teachers with guns help stop school shootings?</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

Trump scrapped a $2 billion deal with the UAE days before the secret meeting that Mueller now has his eyes on

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>Gary Johnson is having quite the day.<p>Following a disastrous interview on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" earlier Thursday, the Libertarian nominee and former New Mexico governor sat down with ABC's "The View."</p><p>Host&#xa0;Joy Behar asked him who he'd vote for between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump if he had a gun pointed at his head.</p><p>"I'd let it go off," Johnson replied.</p><p>Johnson's&#xa0;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/gary-johnson-what-is-aleppo-2016-9" target="_blank">appearance on "The View" came after he asked on MSNBC, "What is Aleppo?"</a></p><p>Aleppo is a city in Syria that is among the hardest hit by the ongoing Civil War, and &#xa0;Johnson apparently wasn't familiar with the city when asked by contributor Mike Barnicle, who was stunned by his response.</p><p>The third-party candidate also faced a brutal back-and-forth with Behar, who called Johnson's answer about Aleppo a "disqualifying statement, frankly."</p><p>"Fair enough," Johnson responded.</p><p>"So will you get out of the race now?" Behar shot back.</p><p>"No," Johnson replied with a chuckle.</p><p>Johnson was later confronted about whether the gaffe was the end of his campaign.</p><p>"Well, gosh, I guess people will have to make that judgment," he said. "But, I will say that it is a process and I respect the process and for those that believe this is a disqualifier, so be it. You know, I've been really well served in my life by always telling the truth."</p><p>Behar called Johnson a "spoiler" in the vein of Ralph Nader, the Green Party candidate who might have swung the election in favor of President George W. Bush in 2000.</p><p>"Well, I genuinely believe that I have the opportunity to win at this point," he said, before Behar cut in and added that his polling isn't high enough&#xa0;to participate in the presidential debates.&#xa0;</p><p><span>Johnson's unfortunate&#xa0;gaffe came just one day after 2012 GOP nominee <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mitt-romney-gary-johnson-debate-2016-9" target="_blank">Mitt Romney suggested Johnson&#xa0;should be allowed</a>&#xa0;to participate in the presidential debate.</span></p><p>The RealClearPolitics average of recent polls showed Johnson on Thursday with around 9% support, 6 percentage points away from qualifying for the debates.&#xa0;</p><h3>Watch Johnson's interview below:</h3><p><div></div></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-explains-hillary-clinton-bigot-cnn-anderson-cooper-politics-2016-8">Watch Donald Trump attempt to explain why he thinks Hillary Clinton is a bigot</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="dkZXJqNTE6-EnRVDFCssYxoWp6G2351l" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

GARY JOHNSON: If I had to choose between Clinton and Trump with a gun to my head, I'd 'let it go off'

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Trump-Russia-Probe/8655d6bfbc1d4c08a87b26bc57825be0/3/0">J. Scott Applewhite/AP</a></span></p><p class="caption">Former Trump aide Sam Nunberg.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>On Monday, Sam Nunberg, a former campaign adviser to President Donald Trump, sent shockwaves through Washington when he made the rounds on cable <keyword id="6355005" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="News">news</keyword> to lash out at the special counsel Robert Mueller and members of the Trump administration, including the president himself.</p><p>Several of the interviews went <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sam-nunberg-interview-claims-trump-campaign-mueller-russia-investigation-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">off the rails</a>, with Nunberg taunting Mueller by announcing he would not cooperate with the investigation. But two days later, Nunberg had an apparent change of heart, saying he would <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sam-nunberg-testify-mueller-investigation-subpoena-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hand over</a> email communications with Trump and other witnesses to Mueller. On Friday, Nunberg <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sam-nunberg-testify-mueller-investigation-subpoena-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">testified</a> before a grand jury. </p><p>Nunberg's antics, however, weren't the only - or biggest - developments this month. </p><h3>Here's what else you may have missed recently in the Russia probe:</h3><ul><li><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mueller-eyes-trump-collusion-on-wikileaks-dnc-hack-in-russia-probe-2018-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mueller ensnares Trump in the collusion inquiry</a></strong>: The investigation saw a huge shake-up early this month, when it emerged that Mueller is examining whether Trump knew about, or had any role in, the Russian campaign to hack into the Democratic National Committee and disseminate stolen materials in 2016. Trump has long been a subject of the obstruction investigation, but this is the first time he seems to be a focus of the collusion thread.</li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mueller-has-evidence-erik-prince-seychelles-meeting-backchannel-trump-russia-2018-3"><strong>Details emerge about a secret rendezvous in the Seychelles</strong></a>: George Nader, a top adviser to the Emirati crown prince, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/george-nader-contradicts-erik-prince-house-intel-testimony-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">testified to a grand jury</a> that Trump associate Erik Prince met in the Seychelles islands with an Emirati delegation and Kremlin ally Kirill Dmitriev as part of an effort to establish a backchannel between the US and Russia and to discuss US-Russia relations going forward. The UAE and Russia are close economic allies, and both would stand to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-rejected-2-billion-deal-with-uae-developer-days-before-seychelles-meeting-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">benefit financially</a> if the US and Russia resumed normal trade relations and sanctions were lifted. </li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-asked-key-russia-witnesses-what-they-discussed-with-mueller-2018-3"><strong>Trump goes against his lawyers' advice</strong></a>: Trump reportedly ignored his lawyers' advice and had at least two conversations with witnesses in the investigation to discuss issues they spoke to Mueller about. Trump's reported behavior added yet another piece of evidence to Mueller's growing arsenal in the obstruction-of-justice case. </li><li><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mueller-examines-whether-trump-tried-firing-jeff-sessions-russia-probe-2018-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mueller eyes Trump's attacks on Sessions</a></strong>: Mueller is said to be scrutinizing a key period between late July and early August of last year, during which Trump significantly ramped up his attacks against Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has recused himself from the Russia probe.</li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-legal-team-has-baffling-argument-for-why-trump-shouldnt-speak-to-mueller-2018-2"><strong>A new proposal</strong></a>: <span>Trump's legal team is reportedly considering allowing Mueller to question Trump, as long as he either pledges that the portions of the Russia probe related to Trump will conclude within 60 days, or that he will limit the scope of questioning. But Mueller holds more leverage over Trump than the other way around, and he is unlikely to accept either stipulation. </span></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/angus-king-senate-house-intel-committees-communication-broken-down-2018-3"><strong>A communication breakdown</strong></a>: The House and Senate intelligence committees have virtually zero communication amid <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/house-intelligence-committee-partisanship-national-security-intelligence-threat-2018-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">partisan infighting</a> on the House panel. Things escalated when it emerged that members of the House committee <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mark-warner-text-messages-house-intelligence-committee-burr-devin-nunes-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leaked</a> Senate co-chair Sen. Mark Warner's texts to the press in February. </li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/russia-told-trump-not-to-nominate-mitt-romney-secretary-of-state-2018-3"><strong>Another Steele memo surfaces</strong></a>: Christopher Steele, the former British intelligence officer who compiled the now infamous Trump-Russia dossier, reportedly wrote another unverified memo alleging the Russian government persuaded Trump against nominating former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney to secretary of state because Russian officials wanted someone more sympathetic to their interests.  </li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/state-department-not-fighting-russian-election-meddling-2018-3"><strong>A funding debacle</strong></a>: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was reportedly offered $120 million to combat Russian meddling, but the offer was withdrawn after Tillerson delayed approving the funding. In the end, the State Department received $40 million, a fraction of the original amount. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/hope-hicks-testifying-house-intel-committee-trump-russia-2018-2"></a></li><li><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/hope-hicks-testifying-house-intel-committee-trump-russia-2018-2">Hope Hicks testifies, then announces resignation</a></strong>: Hicks, the White House communications director, testified before the House Intelligence Committee on February 27 but refused to answer a series of questions. When asked <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/hope-hicks-white-lies-answer-took-10-minutes-to-confer-2018-3">if she ever lied</a> on Trump's behalf she admitted she told "white lies," but never related to the Russia investigation. A day after testifying, Hicks announced her resignation. </li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/russia-compromised-us-election-systems-in-7-states-2018-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Confusion over Russia's election hacks</strong></a>: Russian-backed operatives compromised voter registration systems in seven US states ahead of the 2016 presidential election. The Department of Homeland Security rejected the report, calling it "factually inaccurate and misleading."</li></ul><p><em>Sonam Sheth and Eliza Relman contributed to this report. </em></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/meaning-of-fake-news-and-make-america-great-again-steven-pinker-2018-3">Harvard professor Steven Pinker explains the disturbing truth behind Trump's two favorite phrases</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

Sam Nunberg's wild week, a mysterious Seychelles meeting, and a critical new witness  - here's the latest in the Russia investigation

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">The House Judiciary Committee sent letters to 81 individuals and organizations on Monday as it launches its investigation into President Donald Trump.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li>The House Judiciary Committee has begun an investigation into President Donald Trump, his associates, and entities connected to them.</li><li><span>The committee's chairman, Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York, has sent letters to 81 people, organizations, and companies requesting documents connected to the investigation.</span></li><li><span>The committee would be the entity ultimately responsible for impeachment proceedings against the president.</span></li></ul><p>The House Judiciary Committee launched a sweeping investigation this week into President Donald Trump's inner circle, businesses, and political dealings, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/judiciary-committee-documents-trump-obstruction-probe-2019-3">sending document requests to 81 people and entities</a> linked to the president. </p><p>The committee, led by Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York, will <a href="https://nadler.house.gov/press-release/house-judiciary-committee-unveils-investigation-threats-against-rule-law">focus on three primary issues</a>: if Trump obstructed justice by interfering in criminal investigations; public corruption including potential violations like violating campaign and financial reporting laws; and abuses of power ranging from attacks on the press to misusing presidential authority and pardoning power. </p><p>The document probe comes after Michael Cohen, Trump's former longtime lawyer, implicated the president and his associates in a dramatic hearing last week before the House Oversight and Reform Committee. Many of the names he dropped, including Trump Organization Executive Vice President Donald Trump Jr., Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg, and Trump executive assistant Rhona Graff, were included on Monday's list.</p><p><em><strong>Read more:</strong> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/judiciary-committee-documents-trump-obstruction-probe-2019-3" data-analytics-position="1">In an 'investigative blitz,' the House Judiciary Committee requested documents from 81 people and entities tied to Trump»</a></em></p><p>Others on the list indicate the breadth of the committee's investigation, from people and agencies associated with the Trump campaign, the Trump foundation, the White House, the Justice Department, Trump's inaugural committee, the Trump organization, and dozens of the president's closest aides and campaign officials. Several people on the list also have ties to the ongoing Russia investigation.</p><p>The committee would be the entity responsible for beginning impeachment proceedings against Trump.</p><p>"Impeachment is a long way down the road," Nadler told <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/week-transcript-19-rep-jerrold-nadler-rep-kevin/story?id=61428738">ABC news on Sunday</a>. "But we're going to initiate proper investigations."</p><p>The White House blasted the investigations in a statement on Monday, calling the probe "<span>disgraceful and abusive."</span></p><p><span>"The Democrats are more interested in pathetic political games and catering to a radical, leftist base than on producing results for our citizens," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said. "The Democrats are not after the truth, they are after the President."</span></p><p><span>Similarly, Trump weighed in on the requests via Twitter.</span></p><p><span>"The Dems are obstructing justice and will not get anything done," Trump said. "A big, fat, fishing expedition desperately in search of a crime, when in fact the real crime is what the Dems are doing, and have done!"</span></p><p>Here is a look at the 81 people, organizations, and companies connected to the investigation:</p><ol><li><strong>Alan Garten,</strong> <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/profiles/people/20563354-alan-garten">chief legal officer</a> of the Trump Organization</li><li><strong>Alexander Nix,</strong> former CEO of Cambridge Analytica</li><li><strong>Allen Weisselberg,</strong> CFO of the Trump Organization</li><li><strong>American Media Inc.,</strong> media company that publishes the National Enquirer</li><li><strong>Anatoli Samochornov,</strong> a translator who reportedly <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-else-was-in-the-room-when-trump-jr-met-with-the-russian-lawyer-2017-7">attended the 2016 Trump Tower meeting</a></li><li><strong>Andrew Intrater,</strong> head of investment firm <span>Columbus Nova, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/michael-cohen-reportedly-met-russian-oligarch-viktor-vekselberg-3-times-2018-5">cousin of Viktor Vekselberg</a>, and donor to the Trump Inaugural committee</span></li><li><strong>Annie Donaldson,</strong> former White House deputy counsel</li><li><strong>Brad Parscale,</strong> digital media director of Trump's 2016 campaign and campaign manager of 2020 Trump campaign</li><li><strong>Brittany Kaiser,</strong> <span>former business development director at Cambridge Analytica</span></li><li><strong>Cambridge Analytica,</strong> a political data firm hired by the Trump campaign</li><li><strong>Carter Page,</strong> former Trump campaign adviser</li><li><strong>Columbus Nova,</strong> US-based investment firm run by Andrew Intrater, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/michael-cohen-reportedly-met-russian-oligarch-viktor-vekselberg-3-times-2018-5">paid Michael Cohen in consulting fees</a> following the 2016 election</li><li><strong>Concord Management and Consulting,</strong> a Russian consulting firm, indicted by special counsel Robert Mueller for allegedly <span>conspiring to interfere in the 2016 US presidential election</span> </li><li><strong>Corey Lewandowski,</strong> former Trump campaign manager</li><li><strong>David Pecker,</strong> chairman and CEO of American Media Inc.</li><li><strong>Department of Justice</strong></li><li><strong>Don McGahn,</strong> former White House counsel</li><li><strong>Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust,</strong> a trust <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-can-quietly-draw-money-from-trust-whenever-he-wants-new-documents-show/2017/04/03/7f4c0002-187c-11e7-9887-1a5314b56a08_story.html?utm_term=.7009fb595d81">created to hold Trump's assets </a>during his presidency</li><li><strong>Donald Trump Jr.,</strong> the president's son</li><li><strong>Dylan Howard,</strong> chief content officer at American Media Inc.</li><li><strong>Eric Trump,</strong> the president's son</li><li><strong>Erik Prince,</strong> security consultant and founder of Blackwater</li><li><strong>Federal Bureau of Investigation</strong></li><li><strong>Felix Sater,</strong> Russian-born businessman who worked as a middleman between the Trump Organization and Russian interests</li><li><strong>Flynn Intel Group,</strong> a lobbying group created by Michael Flynn, Trump's former <span>National Security adviser</span></li><li><strong>General Services Administration</strong></li><li><strong>George Nader, </strong>political adviser to the United Arab Emirates <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/george-nader-mueller-seychelles-erik-prince-trump-russia-2018-3">with ties to several Trump associates</a></li><li><strong>George Papadopoulos,</strong> former Trump campaign aide who <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/george-papadopoulos-sentenced-14-days-jail-mueller-russia-2018-9">pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI</a></li><li><strong>Hope Hicks,</strong> former White House communications director, Trump campaign press secretary, and Trump Organization employee</li><li><strong>Irakly Kaveladze,</strong> a businessman who <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-eighth-person-at-trump-jrs-russia-meeting-identified-irakly-kaveladze-2017-7">attended the 2016 Trump Tower meeting</a> with Donald Trump Jr.</li><li><strong>Jared Kushner,</strong> a real estate developer and the president's son-in-law</li><li><strong>Jason Maloni,</strong> <span>former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort's spokesman</span></li><li><strong>Jay Sekulow,</strong> a personal lawyer for Trump</li><li><strong>Jeff Sessions,</strong> former Attorney General in the Trump administration</li><li><strong>Jerome Corsi,</strong><span> far-right political commentator and associate of Roger Stone</span></li><li><strong>John Szobocsan,</strong> a business associate of <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/late-gop-activist-peter-w-smith-met-with-former-trump-adviser-michael-flynn-in-2015-sources-say-1539196064">late GOP activist Peter W. Smith</a>. Smith independently tried to obtain Hillary Clinton's emails from hackers. </li><li><strong>Julian Assange,</strong> publisher of Wikileaks</li><li><strong>Julian David Wheatland,</strong> director of Cambridge Analytica's parent company,<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cambridge-analytica-founder-says-no-rebranding-new-name-2018-5"> SCL Group</a></li><li><strong>Keith Davidson,</strong> former attorney for Stormy Daniels</li><li><strong>KT McFarland,</strong> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kt-mcfarland-withdraws-nomination-singapore-2018-2">former deputy national security adviser under Michael Flynn</a></li><li><strong>Mark Corallo,</strong> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/r-new-trump-lawyer-in-russia-probe-yet-to-be-hired-2018-3">former spokesman for Trump's private legal team </a>who allegedly quit over concerns the president obstructed justice</li><li><strong>Matt Tait,</strong> a cybersecurity researcher <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mueller-trump-russia-matt-tait-michael-flynn-investigation-2017-10">recruited to vet hacked Hillary Clinton emails</a></li><li><strong>Matthew Calamari,</strong> executive vice president and chief operating officer at the Trump Organization. Trump <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/02/28/matthew-calamari-went-viral-after-cohen-hearing-hes-real-he-loves-trump/?utm_term=.5f263e5ed420">originally hired Calamari as his bodyguard</a> after seeing him at a US Open tennis tournament in 1981.</li><li><strong>Michael Caputo,</strong> former Trump campaign aide</li><li><strong>Michael Cohen,</strong> former personal attorney and fixer for Trump</li><li><strong>Michael Flynn, </strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-michael-flynn-guilty-plea-2017-12">Trump's former <span>National Security adviser</span></a></li><li><strong>Michael Flynn Jr.,</strong> son of Trump's former National Security adviser Michael Flynn and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/michael-flynn-jr-subject-trump-russia-investigation-2017-9">his father's chief of staff at the Flynn Intel Group</a></li><li><strong>Paul Erickson,</strong> Republican operative who <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/maria-butina-russian-agent-boyfriend-charged-fraud-2019-2">dated alleged Russian spy Maria Butina</a></li><li><strong>Paul Manafort,</strong> former Trump campaign chairman who was convicted of various charges including <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/paul-manafort-lawyers-sentencing-memo-accuses-mueller-misinformation-2019-3">tax and bank fraud</a></li><li><strong>Peter Smith estate,</strong> late GOP activist who independently tried to obtain Hillary Clinton's emails from hackers during the 2016 campaign</li><li><strong>Randy Credico,</strong> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/roger-stone-randy-credico-text-messages-wikileaks-2018-11">left wing radio host and associate of Roger Stone </a>who Stone claimed was his channel to WikiLeaks</li><li><strong>Reince Priebus,</strong> former White House chief of staff</li><li><strong>Rhona Graff,</strong> Trump's longtime assistant at the Trump Organization</li><li><strong>Rinat Akhmetshin,</strong> Russian-American lobbyist and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-jr-lobbyist-rinat-akhmetshin-russia-ties-2017-8">former Soviet military intelligence officer</a> who was present at the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-else-was-in-the-room-when-trump-jr-met-with-the-russian-lawyer-2017-7">Trump Tower meeting</a> in June 2016</li><li><strong>Rob Goldstone,</strong> music publicist who <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rob-goldstone-amazing-social-media-trump-russia-2017-7">helped arrange the Trump Tower meeting</a></li><li><strong>Roger Stone,</strong> GOP political strategist and one of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-roger-stone-why-is-fbi-investigating-him-2017-3">Trump's most loyal true believers</a>. Special Counsel Robert Mueller indicted Stone with one count of obstruction, five counts of false statements, and one count of witness tampering</li><li><strong>Ronald Lieberman,</strong> executive vice president for management and development at the Trump Organization</li><li><strong>Sam Nunberg,</strong> former Trump campaign adviser</li><li><strong>SCL Group Limited,</strong> parent company of Cambridge Analytica </li><li><strong>Sean Spicer,</strong> former White House press secretary</li><li><strong>Sheri Dillon,</strong> Trump's personal attorney who House Democrats have alleged <a href="http://fortune.com/2019/02/15/trump-cohen-affairs-hush-payments-lawyers-elijah-cummings/">provided false information</a> about Trump's involvement in hush payments to Michael Cohen during the 2016 campaign</li><li><strong>Stefan Passantino,</strong> former White House counsel who <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/28/nyregion/allen-weisselberg-facts-history.html">now advises the Trump Organization on how to deal with House investigations</a></li><li><strong>Steve Bannon,</strong> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/whats-next-for-steve-bannon-trump-breitbart-2018-1">former White House chief strategist</a> and executive chairman of Breitbart <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news">News</keyword></li><li><strong>Ted Malloch,</strong> an American academic with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mueller-subpoenas-ted-malloch-to-testify-in-the-russia-probe-2018-3">ties to Republican strategist Roger Stone and Brexit leader Nigel Farage</a></li><li><strong>The White House</strong></li><li><strong>Trump Campaign</strong></li><li><strong>Trump Foundation,</strong> private charitable organization <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-dissolves-trump-foundation-charity-amid-new-york-lawsuit-2018-12">dissolved amid a lawsuit</a> from the New York Attorney General concerning its finances</li><li><strong>Trump Organization,</strong> a portfolio of business entities including <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-the-trump-organization-2016-12">real estate, hotels, golf courses, and investments in clothing and other products</a></li><li><strong>Trump Transition,</strong> the 2016-2017 presidential transition team</li><li><strong>Viktor Vekselberg,</strong> Russian oligarch with ties to the Kremlin who <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/25/us/politics/michael-cohen-viktor-vekselberg-trump-tower.html">met with Michael Cohen</a></li><li><strong>Wikileaks,</strong> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wikileaks-deleted-tweet-fire-and-fury-text-trump-russia-2018-1">a whistleblowing group</a> founded by Julian Assange that leaked emails from the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-story-of-how-russians-hacked-the-democrats-emails-2017-11">Democratic National Committee</a> and from Hillary Clinton's campaign manager, John Podesta </li><li><strong>58th Presidential Inaugural Committee,</strong> Trump's inaugural committee that has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-inaugural-committee-subpoena-dc-attorney-general-2019-2">come under scrutiny for alleged improper spending</a> of some of its record $107 million in donations</li><li><strong>Christopher Bancroft Burnham,</strong> former Deutsche Bank executive who served on Trump's State Department transition team</li><li><strong>Frontier Services Group,</strong> a security training company co-founded by Erik Prince</li><li><strong>J.D. Gordon,</strong> Trump campaign aide who interacted with alleged Russian spy Maria Butina</li><li><strong>Kushner Companies,</strong> Jared Kushner's firm</li><li><strong>National Rifle Association,</strong> gun-rights lobbying group that <a href="https://www.thetrace.org/2018/12/trump-nra-campaign-coordination/">spent millions to help elect Trump</a></li><li><strong>Rick Gates,</strong> former deputy to Paul Manafort who is now <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-rick-gates-bio-photo-indicted-trump-russia-probe-manafort-2017-10">a cooperating witness</a> in the special counsel investigation</li><li><strong>Tom Barrack,</strong> chairman of Trump's inaugural committee</li><li><strong>Tom Bossert,</strong> former <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tom-bossert-fired-homeland-security-adviser-2018-4">Trump administration homeland security adviser</a></li><li><strong>Tony Fabrizio,</strong> Republican pollster and Trump campaign adviser</li></ol>     <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/michael-cohen-trump-explosive-claims-house-oversight-committee-2019-2">'He is a racist. He is a conman.' Michael Cohen's most explosive claims about Trump in his blockbuster hearing</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

Here are the 81 people and organizations that the House Judiciary Committee asked for documents as part of its investigation into Trump

<p><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Alex Wong/Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">Special counsel Robert Mueller is interested in finding out about possible outreach from the Trump campaign to Russia during the election.</p></div><p></p></div></div></strong></p><ul><li><strong>The special counsel Robert Mueller dropped a significant revelation in his list of questions for President Donald Trump.</strong></li><li><strong>Mueller is reportedly interested in knowing more from Trump about possible outreach from the Trump campaign, including former chairman Paul Manafort, to Russia for help during the 2016 election.</strong></li><li><strong>Until now, public reporting and testimony has indicated that any offers of assistance between the campaign and Russia came from Moscow's end.</strong></li><li><strong>Mueller's question suggests he has evidence showing that members of the campaign, particularly Manafort, reached out to Russia or Russia-linked actors.</strong></li><li><strong>Thirteen out of the 48 questions Mueller plans to ask Trump deal with collusion.</strong></li></ul><p>The vast majority of the 48 questions the special counsel Robert Mueller plans to ask President Donald Trump during a potential interview have been public knowledge for some time, with one major exception.</p><p>Toward the end of the list, which was <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/30/us/politics/robert-mueller-questions-trump.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">published by The New York Times</a> late Monday, was the following: "What knowledge did you have of any outreach by your campaign, including by [former campaign chairman] Paul Manafort, to Russia about potential assistance to the campaign?"</p><p>There has been no public reporting indicating that the Trump campaign reached out to Russia or Russia-linked individuals for help during the campaign. Any known offers of assistance between the campaign and Russia - like a June 2016 Trump Tower meeting and communications involving former Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos - began from Russia's end.</p><p>Mueller's inclusion of a question about outreach from the campaign's side, specifically from Manafort, to Russia suggests he has information that would prompt such a question.</p><p>Manafort and his longtime deputy, Rick Gates, were charged with dozens of counts related to financial crimes, conspiracy against the US, and failure to register as foreign agents.</p><p>While Manafort maintains his innocence, Gates pleaded guilty in February to two counts related to conspiracy and making false statements to the FBI. His plea deal indicated at the time that <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/rick-gates-letter-to-family-guilty-plea-mueller-investigation-2018-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he had something of significant value to offer Mueller</a>, experts said.</p><p>Gates also sat for a "Queen for a Day" interview with Mueller, during which a defendant answers any and all questions from investigators, including those about their own case and any other criminal activity they may have witnessed.</p><h2><span>Mueller is digging deep on possible collusion</span></h2><p><span>Mueller's question about outreach from the campaign to Russia is just one out of 13 such inquiries related to possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Moscow during and after the election.</span></p><p><span>The rest of his questions focus largely on events involving Manafort, the GOP strategist and informal Trump adviser Roger Stone, Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, and Trump's longtime personal lawyer Michael Cohen.</span></p><p>Mueller wants to know more from Trump about:</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Kevin Lamarque/Reuters</span></p><p class="caption">President Donald Trump</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul><li><strong>The June 2016 Trump Tower meeting between Manafort, Kushner, Trump's eldest son Donald Trump Jr., and Russian lobbyists who promised dirt on Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.</strong><ul><li>The meeting was pitched as being "part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump."</li><li>Prosecutors are reportedly interested in finding out when Trump became aware of the meeting, as well as his involvement in crafting a misleading statement Trump Jr. initially offered in response to reports of the meeting.</li></ul></li><li><strong>Trump's 2013 trip to Moscow, and his interactions while there with the Azerbaijani-Russian developer Aras Agalarov and his son, Emin, as well as Russian officials.</strong><ul><li>According to the unverified Trump-Russia dossier, Russian intelligence operatives filmed Trump engaging in salacious sexual acts with Russian prostitutes during his trip and used the tape to blackmail the future president.</li></ul></li><li><strong>Trump's involvement in Cohen's and the Russian businessman Felix Sater's efforts to build a Trump Tower in Moscow at the height of the election.</strong><ul><li>Trump signed a letter of intent to pursue the deal, and Sater confirmed in March that the Trump Organization was actively negotiating with a sanctioned Russian bank to secure financing for the deal during the campaign.</li></ul></li><li><strong>Discussions during the campaign regarding a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.</strong><ul><li>Papadopoulos said during a March 31, 2016, meeting of Trump's foreign policy team that he had contacts in the UK who could help arrange a summit between Trump and Putin. J.D. Gordon, a Trump adviser who was at the meeting, has said then-Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions immediately shot down the idea.</li><li>But according to investigative reporters Michael Isikoff's and David Corn's book, "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Russian-Roulette-Inside-America-Election/dp/1538728753" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russian Roulette: The Inside Story of Putin's War on America and the Election of Donald Trump</a>," Papadopoulos told the FBI that Trump found the proposal "interesting" and personally asked him to try and arrange the meeting.</li></ul></li><li><strong>Discussions during the campaign about sanctions on Russia.</strong><ul><li>The Trump-Russia dossier said that during the Trump adviser Carter Page's July 2016 trip to Moscow, Igor Sechin, the CEO of the Russian state-owned company Rosneft, offered Page the brokerage of 19% in Rosneft in exchange for the US lifting sanctions on Russia.</li><li>Page denied the allegation but later told the House Intelligence Committee he "may have briefly" discussed the potential sale of a stake in Rosneft with Andrey Baranov, the company's head of investor relations.</li><li>Asked whether he had ever directly expressed support for the idea of lifting US sanctions on Russia with Baranov, Page replied: "Not directly."</li><li>In December, Rosneft signed a deal selling 19.5% of its shares to unknown buyers. The next day, Page traveled to Moscow to meet with "top managers" at Rosneft.</li><li>The same month, the Obama administration announced new sanctions on Russia. Later that day, then incoming national security adviser Michael Flynn called then Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak to talk about sanctions. The next day, Russia announced it would not retaliate against the US.</li></ul></li><li><strong>Trump's involvement in a change to the 2016 GOP platform regarding arming Ukraine against Russian aggression.</strong><ul><li>According to the Trump-Russia dossier, the <span>campaign allegedly agreed to soften US support for Ukraine in exchange for the Kremlin releasing damaging information about Hillary Clinton.</span></li><li><span>During the Republican National Convention in July 2016, an amendment to the GOP platform proposed that the party commit to sending "lethal weapons" to the Ukrainian army to fend off Russia's aggression. The document was ultimately altered to say "provide appropriate assistance" before it was included in the official party platform.</span></li><li><span>Trump said he was "not involved" in the decision.</span></li></ul></li><li><strong>The DNC hack and subsequent dissemination of stolen materials, as well as communications between Stone, his associates, WikiLeaks, and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.</strong><ul><li><span>Stone is known to have communicated with the Russian military intelligence-linked hacker Guccifer 2.0 and WikiLeaks during and after the election.</span></li><li><span>Trump Jr. was also in touch with WikiLeaks during the election.</span></li><li><span>Trump repeatedly praised WikiLeaks during and after the campaign, and he publicly called on Russian hackers to find and release thousands of Clinton's deleted emails.</span></li><li><span>Papadopoulos told an Australian diplomat in May 2016 that he had learned Russia had compromising information about Clinton in the form of thousands of emails. </span></li><li><span>The FBI launched the Russia investigation after learning about Papadopoulos' conversation with the diplomat.</span></li></ul></li><li><strong>Kushner's attempts during the transition to set up a back channel between the Trump team and Russia using Russian diplomatic facilities.</strong><span></span></li><li><strong>A January 2017 meeting in the Seychelles between Trump adviser Erik Prince, representatives of the United Arab Emirates, and a Russian investor close to Putin.</strong><ul><li><span>According to the Middle East adviser George Nader - who attended the meeting and has testified in the Russia probe - Emirati officials believed Prince represented the Trump team and that the Russian investor represented Putin.</span></li><li><span>The Washington Post reported last year that the meeting's purpose was to create a back channel between Trump and Russia, and Emirati officials participated in the hopes of helping to encourage Russia to distance itself from Iran, a major Kremlin ally.</span></li></ul></li><li><strong>A Ukraine-Russia "peace plan" proposed in the early days of the Trump presidency that appeared to favor Moscow. </strong><ul><li>Sater and Cohen was instrumental in pushing for the proposal, according to multiple media reports, and Cohen offered at least four different explanations for his involvement.</li></ul></li></ul>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jared-kushner-ivanka-trump-secret-deal-planned-parenthood-cecile-richards-make-trouble-2018-4">Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump tried to cut a secret deal with Planned Parenthood - here's what happened</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

Mueller dropped a bombshell in his list of questions for Trump in the Russia probe

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"><a href="http://cchs.gwu.edu/isis-in-america"><p class="source"><span>CNN/screenshot</span></p></a></div><p></p></div></div>A new report out Tuesday paints a bleak picture of ISIS infiltration in the US.</p><p>Researchers at the Center for Cyber and Homeland Security at George Washington University investigated the presence of American ISIS supporters on social media and found that "ISIS-related mobilization in the United States has been unprecedented."</p><p>US authorities are reportedly aware of 250 Americans who have attempted to travel to Islamic State territory - some successfully, others not - in Syria and Iraq. And there are 900 active investigations against ISIS supporters in all 50 states, according to the report.</p><p>Most ISIS sympathizers the center found are young - the average age is 26 - and 86% are male. More than half attempted to travel abroad, and 27% were involved in plots to carry out attacks in the US. Many were American-born and had no prior history of radical views.</p><p>Though much radicalization occurs online, the center also found evidence of face-to-face meetings of groups of like-minded people. About 40% of people studied were converts to Islam.</p><p>One person <a href="https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/ISIS%20in%20America%20-%20Clusters.pdf">profiled in the report</a>, a teenager named Nader Saadeh, lived in New Jersey and had a hand in radicalizing Munther Omar Saleh, another teenager from Queens, New York. He then pulled three others into his orbit, including his older brother, and the group started sharing ISIS propaganda.</p><p>The group planned to join ISIS until Saadeh was arrested by Jordanian authorities after traveling to Amman. The FBI arrested the remaining four of Saadeh's associates in the New York area.</p><p>There are also "keyboard warriors" who disseminate ISIS propaganda on Twitter and other social-media platforms while still living in the US.</p><p>The report provides examples of the content on some of these accounts:</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image"><a title_source="Center for Cyber and Homeland Security" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/565dfb9284307639008b6917-960/screenshot 2015-12-01 14.56.09.png"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span>Center for Cyber and Homeland Security</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Making the fight against ISIS even more difficult for American authorities is the fact that ISIS sympathizers in the US don't have a common profile.</p><p>"Ranging from grown men who had flirted with jihadist militancy for over a decade to teenagers who have only recently converted to Islam, from the son of a Boston area police officer to a single mother of two young children, these individuals differ widely in race, age, social class, education, and family background," the report said. "Individuals with such diverse backgrounds are unlikely to be motivated by the same factors."</p><p>There is, however, one catalyst in particular that researchers found is common among many of those who become radicalized: the Syrian civil war.</p><p>The report said:</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">In many cases examined by our research team, an underlying sense of sympathy and compassion appeared to play an important role in initially motivating young Americans to become interested and invested in the Syrian conflict. Many were outraged by the appalling violence Bashar al Assad's regime used to suppress the Syrian rebellion and the subsequent inaction on the part of the international community. Pictures and videos capturing the aftermath of civilian massacres perpetrated by the regime, displayed widely in both social and mainstream media, rocked the consciences of many-from those with an existing strong Sunni identity to those who were not Muslim-and led some to take the first steps to militancy.</p><p>This fits with <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/putin-is-now-pushing-assads-master-plan-in-syria-and-its-horrific-2015-9">what other experts have said in the past</a> - that atrocities committed by the Syrian regime against its people are one of the main recruiting tools of ISIS.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-nation-on-the-trail-with-the-gop-frontrunner-2015-11">TRUMP NATION: We tried to answer the 3 questions everyone has about Donald Trump</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="xkbWd4eDo-q2cc7uac6n6EUN8Mq1XpIr" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

You Searched For "george nader" and got 13 results

Mueller is now looking into more mysterious meetings in the Seychelles

Sonam Sheth,Pat Ralph

Mueller's team has been getting a lot more aggressive with how it approaches potentially hostile witnesses

Michal Kranz

Qatar says it has unearthed damaging information on Jared Kushner - but reportedly decided not to give it to Mueller because they're scared of Trump

Michal Kranz

There's been a new twist in a controversial CNN story that led to the firing of 3 journalists last year

Sonam Sheth

House Judiciary chair Nadler says that it's 'very clear' that Trump obstructed justice - to issue document requests for over 60 Trump associates

Ellen Cranley,Ellen Cranley

Trump goes on Sunday morning Twitter tirade attacking the Mueller probe, Hillary Clinton, and The New York Times

Pat Ralph

A plane linked to the Russian government flew into the Seychelles the day before a secret meeting that Mueller is investigating

Michelle Mark

Trump scrapped a $2 billion deal with the UAE days before the secret meeting that Mueller now has his eyes on

Sonam Sheth

GARY JOHNSON: If I had to choose between Clinton and Trump with a gun to my head, I'd 'let it go off'

Allan Smith

Sam Nunberg's wild week, a mysterious Seychelles meeting, and a critical new witness - here's the latest in the Russia investigation

Brennan Weiss,Michal Kranz

Here are the 81 people and organizations that the House Judiciary Committee asked for documents as part of its investigation into Trump

Bob Bryan,Nicole Einbinder,Ni…

Mueller dropped a bombshell in his list of questions for Trump in the Russia probe

Sonam Sheth

'UNPRECEDENTED': New report paints a worrisome picture of ISIS in America

Pamela Engel