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Manafort lawyers: Ukrainian employee was U․S. asset, not a Russian spy washingtontimes.com/news/2019/feb/… via @washtimes
Constantin Kilimnik, the man pegged by the Mueller team and the press as a spy, communicated with the U.S. Embassy in Kiev during Ukraine’s political upheaval, a hearing transcript shows.
McCain? You don’t say... 🤔
Not mentioned in the filing is the fact that Mr. Kilimnik also worked in the 2000s in Moscow for the Washington-based International Republican Institute, a pro-democracy nonprofit led by Sen. John McCain for 25 years.
Not mentioned in the filing is the fact that Mr. Kilimnik also worked in the 2000s in Moscow for the Washington-based International Republican Institute, a pro-democracy nonprofit led by Sen. John McCain for 25 years.
A censored transcript of a Feb. 4 closed hearing shows Mueller top gun Andrew Weissmann is still pursuing Trump-Russia collusion.
Manafort has been convicted of bank and tax fraud. He has not been charged by Mr. Mueller of any conspiracy with Russian election interference; neither has Mr. Kilimnik.
Mr. Weissmann said Mr. Kilimnik “is understood by the FBI, assessed to be — have a relationship with Russian intelligence.” The prosecution hasn’t produced evidence of that supposed relationship in open court.
“If the U.S. trusted Kilimnik, then they must not think he’s a Russian spy,” a legal expert not involved said. “This blows another hole in the entire Russian collusion theory.”
Defense attorney Downing told the judge that Mr. Weissmann’s collusion theory “is nonsense because no matter who gets elected, that the sanctions were going to continue against Russia I think you need to consider this rank speculation.”
During the Mueller probe, Mr. Kilimnik was interviewed by the FBI. He has not appeared in court to face charges. Court filings say that, after his indictment, he feared for his safety in Ukraine and moved to Russia.
Before joining Manafort’s firm, Mr. Kilimnik had another connection to the West: He worked to promote democracy as a translator and on other assignments for the International Republican Institute (IRI).
When he resigned as IRI chairman shortly before his death from brain cancer, the late McCain praised IRI workers.
“In my years as chairman, I have been privileged to watch generations of young IRI foot soldiers serve a cause greater than their self-interest,” he said.
“In my years as chairman, I have been privileged to watch generations of young IRI foot soldiers serve a cause greater than their self-interest,” he said.
