Boss of firm behind anti-Trump dossier to plead the Fifth at congressional hearing – Washington Times

The co-founder of the Washington-based firm that commissioned the explosive and largely unsubstantiated anti-Trump campaign research dossier will reject a Senate subpoena to testify before Congress next week and invoke his Fifth Amendment rights, according to the heads of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Glenn Simpson, the former Wall Street Journal reporter who helped start political intelligence firm Fusion GPS, has been a key figure in the Russian election meddling saga ever since the dossier, which alleged a years-long Kremlin conspiracy to elect Donald Trump and included colorful sex stories, was leaked to the press after the Republicans November victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Since March, the Senate Judiciary Committee has pressed for Mr. Simpsons testimony and documents relevant to the case. His attorneys, Joshua A. Levy and Robert F. Muse, have rebutted with numerous defenses, including citing confidentiality agreements between Fusion GPS its clients. This week, a Judiciary hearing which would have featured Mr. Simpson had he voluntarily attended was canceled.

Late on Friday committee leadership executed hardball tactics to force him to tell what he knows as chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, and ranking member Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, announced theyd subpoenaed him.

Glenn Simpson, through his attorney, has declined to voluntarily attend Wednesdays Judiciary Committee hearing regarding compliance with the Foreign Agents Registration Act, the senators wrote in a statement. Therefore, a subpoena has been issued to compel his attendance. Simpsons attorney has asserted that his client will invoke his Fifth Amendment rights in response to the subpoena.

Mr. Simpsons lawyers in a letter reported by Politico, argued that this hearings purported focus on FARA [Foreign Agents Registration Act] is pretext for an exploration of Fusion GPS reported work, on behalf of other clients, to investigate the ties of Donald J. Trump, his campaign and their associates to Russia.

Wednesdays committee hearing is also scheduled to feature Donald Trump Jr. and President Donald Trumps one-time campaign manager Paul Manafort.

On Friday, Mr. Grassley and Ms. Feinstein said both Trump confidantes had agreed to negotiate to be interviewed and provide relevant documents but the Senators also reserved the right to subpoena them if necessary.

Legal battle to continue

More legal battle is expected between Mr. Simpson and the committee.

Washington insiders woke Saturday debating whether the political operatives strategy to assert his Fifth Amendment rights to protect himself against self-incrimination - would hold up or if hed put himself at risk of being held in contempt of Congress, which could mean future criminal charges.

Deeper digging into the dossier could also be embarrassing for both Democrats and Republicans.

Mr. Simpson hired former British intelligence agent Christopher Steele in 20015 to compile opposition research on then-candidate Trump. The resulting dossier which was reportedly sourced from the Kremlin allegedly received initial financial support from anti-Trump Republicans before being taken over and distributed by Democrats. It contained a lurid and largely discredited tale of a years-long Russian effort to elect the former reality TV star and property developer.

The Trump White House has vigorously denounced the allegations as a pile of garbage and FAKE NEWS! ever since online news service BuzzFeed posted all 35 pages.

This week The Washington Times reported that the FBI is routinely using the dossier as a checklist that agents tick off as they question witnesses in its Russia investigation. Sources told The Times it was strange that a gossip-filled series of memos is guiding the bureaus work.

For months Mr. Grassley has pushed to learn more about Mr. Steeles FBI relationships, which allegedly date back to help the former British spy provided the bureaus investigation of FIFA chief Sepp Blatter, whose 17-years reign over the football World Cup governing body ended amid corruption allegations.

Former FBI Director James Comey, whom Mr. Trump fired in May, has refused to publicly answer questions about the bureaus relationship with Mr. Steele.

Additional drama next week is expected from Mr. Trump Jr. and Manaforts testimony. Democrats are eager to question both about a meeting they held last year with a Russian lawyer who promised to provide comprising information about Ms. Clinton. Republicans are keen to start clearing the air on an issue that has distracted Washington from Mr. Trumps agenda.

On Friday, Reuters reported it had found public records contradicting statements by the lawyer who met Mr. Trump Jr. and Mr. Manafort that shed never worked for the Russian government. The news agency found Natalia V. Veselnitskaya had once represented Russias top intelligence agency, the F.S.B., which replaced the K.G.B. after the fall of the Soviet Union.

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Boss of firm behind anti-Trump dossier to plead the Fifth at congressional hearing - Washington Times