Ryan Hayward // 7/31/17 //
Jared Kushner met with the Senate Intelligence Committee behind closed doors, answering questions about his interactions with Russian officials (WaPo).
Mr. Kushner then faced a second day of questioning on Capitol Hill, this time in front of the House Intelligence Committee (ABC, The Hill).
The Senate Judiciary Committee issued and then dropped a subpoena against Paul Manafort after Manafort agreed to testify before the committee (Politico).
The Senate and House have approved new sanctions on Russia and limited President Trump’s ability to rescind them (NYT, Politico).
In light of a report about U.S. intelligence agencies intercepting communications in which Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak recounted campaign-related conversations with now-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Helen Klein Murillo and Steve Vladeck break down the perjury case against Sessions (Lawfare).
Russia is not our “enemy” under the Treason Clause, and accusations of treason should be treated with enormous caution, writes Carlton Lawson at Take Care.
The Federal Election Commission must not shy away from the Russia probe, writes Stephen Spaulding at The Hill.
President Obama reclaimed the pardon power as a principled tool of the presidency; President Trump would undo that progress with a self-pardon, writes Mark Osler at Take Care.