Forbes: Amsterdam Comments on Trump-Russia Ties

03.02.2017

President Donald Trump continues to take the slings and arrows for daring to call for a detente with the Russians, according to journalist Kenneth Rapoza writing in Forbes. They are coming at him from all different directions. And while the bulk of those arrows are being shot from the shadows inside the State Department, intelligence services and by Democratic party operatives with different motives, one thing is clear: Trump is paying a heavy price for wanting to work with Russia.

It is unlikely this story dies quickly. There is reason to believe that the Democrats are “circling the wagons” and trying to pick off people in Trump’s cabinet. National Security advisor Michael Flynn was forced to resign because of Russia. Many people are asking, “who’s next?” For now, Sessions appears to be in the clear.

“There is no reason why Sessions cannot meet with the Russian ambassador in his capacity, but there are reasonable concerns regarding the potentially broad interpretation of his answers, both to Senator Franken during the confirmation hearing as well as in writing to Senator (Patrick) Leahy (D-VT),” said Robert Amsterdam, an international attorney who is no stranger to Russian intrigue. Amsterdam was part of the legal team defending Russian oligarch and ex-oil man Mikhail Khodorkovsky on financial fraud charges at Yukos Oil, now owned by Rosneft. “If the meetings held with Kislyak had nothing to do with the 2016 election…then there is no story here,” Amsterdam says.

Read the full article on Forbes.