GOP Rep.: Trump Jr. Deserves ‘Credit’ For Releasing Emails On Russian Lawyer

Republican U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart looks on during his town hall meeting Friday, March 31, 2017, in Salt Lake City. Stewart says he knows that many of those attending his town hall in heavily Democratic Salt Lake Cit... Republican U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart looks on during his town hall meeting Friday, March 31, 2017, in Salt Lake City. Stewart says he knows that many of those attending his town hall in heavily Democratic Salt Lake City probably didn't vote for him, but the Republican congressman says he feels it's important to appear before his constituents. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) MORE LESS
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Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT) said on Tuesday that Donald Trump Jr. deserves “credit” for releasing emails leading up to his June 2016 meeting with a Kremlin-linked lawyer with alleged damaging information on Hillary Clinton.

“Does it raise new questions for you?” CNN’s Kate Bolduan asked.

“I think so. I mean, any one of these things raises questions,” Stewart, a member of the House Intelligence Committee, said.

Stewart said it was “too soon” for him to comment on the emails and that his panel will “want to question” Trump Jr.’s intent in attending the meeting.

He said it would be “obviously concerning” if Trump Jr. knew beforehand that the Russian government wanted to help his father’s campaign.

In the email chain, Trump family acquaintance Rob Goldstone identified the lawyer as as a “Russian government attorney” with “ultra sensitive” information that was “part of Russia and it’s government’s support for Mr. Trump.”

Stewart said Trump Jr. deserved praise for releasing the emails, which he posted on Twitter shortly before the New York Times published a story on their content.

“I have to give him credit and I thank him, you know, thank you for releasing these emails, for doing it, you know, very quickly. It gives you and I and the media and those of us on the committee a chance to really digest them. I think that was a good, positive step.”

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Notable Replies

  1. I believe you’re thinking of “parole”, not “credit”, Congressweasel. Credit only count’s for time served.

  2. What credit does one get for releasing information just ahead of its publication in the NY Times?

  3. He released the info you smug motherfucker, because the NYT called him to tell him they were publishing the email chain and would he care to comment. Junior said “let me get back to you,” and then rushed to Twitter to publish and claim “transparency.”

  4. I’m stunned how many GOP reps* are willing to step in front of this train. Just say “I am concerned, but that’s for the blah blah investigative committee/independent investigation to look into” and run. You don’t have to say anything more than that. You idiot. You idiotic idiot.

    .* and it’s all been members of the House; the universal silence of the GOP Senate is deafening

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