Former Russian counter intelligence officer at meeting with Junior

[Don2 (Don1 Revised)]

The name: Rinat Akhmetshin. It wasn't disclosed he was there, but he was. He holds dual citizenships. He now is being dismissive that he could be a spy and saying he only served 2 years in the Russian military. However, previous interviews I dug up state otherwise. He also left a cache of documents for the Trump team. I refer you to 4 articles from different times: one current news article about the meeting discusses the cache of documents, another current one discusses Rinat Akhmetshin, one from March 2017 about Rinat's activities, and one from 2016.

The first:

Days after Donald Trump Jr. hosted a group of Russians at Trump Tower promising to deliver damaging information on the Democratic National Committee and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, a hacker believed connected to the Russian government released a trove of documents online ― including ones that sound similar to those reportedly provided to Trump Jr.

Ranit Akhmetshin, a Russian American lobbyist and former Soviet counterintelligence officer, told The Associated Press on Friday he took part in the meeting on June 9, 2016, along with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya. Akhmetshin said Veselnitskaya brought a folder full of documents, which he said she left behind after the meeting.

The documents detailed the Democratic National Committee’s finances and funding sources, some of which Veselnitskaya described as unlawful, Akhmetshin told the AP.

I do want to pause here for a moment on this first article because this is also important. THE RUSSIANS LEFT DOCUMENTS FOR THE TRUMP TEAM.

The second article:

Ranit Akhmetshin, the Russian-American lobbyist and former Soviet military officer who accompanied a Russian lawyer to a meeting with Donald Trump Jr. last year, is no stranger to scandal.

Akhmetshin is roughly 50 years old and holds dual Russian-American citizenship. He has kept a relatively low profile in Washington, D.C., until recently, but has spent decades embedded in several high-stakes lobbying campaigns on behalf of the former Soviet Union.

“I know of no Russian gun-for-hire who managed to run his campaigns so successfully, running circles around purportedly much more seasoned Washington hands,” veteran reporter Steve LeVine told Radio Free Europe in June 2016.

Akhmetshin confirmed to The Associated Press on Friday that he had participated in the now-infamous meeting between President Donald Trump’s eldest son and Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya. Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and adviser, and Paul Manafort, Trump’s campaign manager at the time, also attended.

The meeting came amid a lobbying campaign against the Magnitsky Act, legislation passed in 2012 that barred several Russian officials accused of human rights abuses from entering the U.S. and infuriated Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Just days after the meeting, Akhmetshin hosted a screening of a Russian propaganda film at the Newseum in Washington. The movie was an effort to undermine evidence that the Kremlin had authorized the imprisonment, torture and eventual murder of a Russian lawyer and whistleblower named Sergei Magnitsky, whose death inspired the Magnitsky Act.

Trump Jr. did not originally disclose Akhmetshin’s presence at the meeting. His attorney, Alan Futerfas, claimed Friday that his client wasn’t aware of the lobbyist’s background at the time of the meeting.

“He is a U.S. citizen,” Futerfas told NBC News of the lobbyist. “He told me specifically he was not working for the Russian government, and in fact laughed when I asked him that question.”

Akhmetshin was the subject of a letter that Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly in April as part of an investigation into potential violations committed by the lobbyist under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

Court papers from lawyers for International Mineral Resources, a Russian mining company that alleged Akhmetshin had orchestrated a cyberattack against them to tarnish their public image, described the lobbyist in November 2015 as “a former Soviet military counterintelligence officer.”

The allegations were later withdrawn, according to The Daily Beast.

Akhmetshin told the AP on Friday that he served in the Soviet military from 1986 to 1988, but denied ever receiving formal spy training.

Emphasis added. He denied spy training, but let's look at his previous articles.

The 3rd article is from Mar 2017:

Katsyv meanwhile hired a lobbyist named Rinat Akhmetshin to oppose the human rights sanctions bill called the Global Magnitsky Act. The Russian government opposed the bill because it’s named after a Russian lawyer who died mysteriously in a Moscow jail cell in 2009. The lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, uncovered the tax fraud through which Katsyv is accused of laundering money.

Grassley’s letter noted with concern Akhmetshin’s background in Russian intelligence. Akhmetshin previously told POLITICO he was drafted as a Soviet counterintelligence officer but denied any ongoing affiliation with the Russian state. He didn’t immediately answer a request for comment on Grassley’s letter.

The March 2017 article is referencing an earlier article from 2016. So the fourth article is from Nov 2016:

Akhmetshin’s appearance caught the attention of Kyle Parker, a House Foreign Affairs Committee staffer who was a driving force behind the original Magnitsky Act. Parker blasted out an email to colleagues warning them that Akhmetshin used to spy for the Soviets and “specializes in active measures campaigns” (an old Cold War term for propaganda, disinformation and other dark ops), according to an e-mail obtained by POLITICO. Parker declined to comment on the email. Akhmetshin acknowledged having been a Soviet counterintelligence officer, but said he was drafted into the job.

“Just because I was born in Russia doesn't mean I am an agent of [the] Kremlin,” Akhmetshin told POLITICO.

Emphasis added again. This shows that Akhmetshin was being dismissive earlier when he claimed he merely worked in the "military" and not specifically as a "counterintelligence officer."

So...why didn't Donald Trump Jr say anything about this guy...or the documents...?

Akhmetshin has previously lobbied for corporations and foreign politicians.

Akhmetshin appears to have been lobbying for a foundation regarding Russian adoptions. Is it a shell foundation with money somehow being funded by Russia?

 

[Opoponax]

Anyone who thinks this guy doesn't do intelligence work for the Russians is, um, probably the same type of person who voted for Trump.

 

[Nice Squirrel]

But since when have spies ever lied about being spies or their activities?

*Thank you, I'll show myself to the door.

 

[barbos]

Anyone who thinks this guy doesn't do intelligence work for the Russians is, um, probably the same type of person who voted for Trump.

OK, what about Dmitri Alperovitch?

 

[barbos]

Statements made by Akhmetshin to the news media in July 2017 confirmed that during two years of service in the Soviet military he served in a law enforcement and counterintelligence capacity

If what he says is true about being drafted then I must be KGB agent too, because I had 2 years of mandatory military service. How does that make you feel? Are you scared?

 

[Keith&Co.]

If what he says is true

That would be the sticking point, wouldn't it?

 

[ZiprHead]

"I heard that nothing burger meat comes from mosCows."

Stolen from another board, hence the quote marks.

 

[Opoponax]

Anyone who thinks this guy doesn't do intelligence work for the Russians is, um, probably the same type of person who voted for Trump.

OK, what about Dmitri Alperovitch?

What about my cat's ass?

 

[laughing dog]

Statements made by Akhmetshin to the news media in July 2017 confirmed that during two years of service in the Soviet military he served in a law enforcement and counterintelligence capacity

If what he says is true about being drafted then I must be KGB agent too, because I had 2 years of mandatory military service. How does that make you feel? Are you scared?

The content of your posts are sufficiently scary, regardless whether you are KGB or not.

 

[Nice Squirrel]

Statements made by Akhmetshin to the news media in July 2017 confirmed that during two years of service in the Soviet military he served in a law enforcement and counterintelligence capacity

If what he says is true about being drafted then I must be KGB agent too, because I had 2 years of mandatory military service. How does that make you feel? Are you scared?

And you were in military intelligence and have perviously admitted to working for the FGB?

 

[Don2 (Don1 Revised)]

Statements made by Akhmetshin to the news media in July 2017 confirmed that during two years of service in the Soviet military he served in a law enforcement and counterintelligence capacity

If what he says is true about being drafted then I must be KGB agent too, because I had 2 years of mandatory military service. How does that make you feel? Are you scared?

Were you counter intel?

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

So, the meeting wasn't about adoption but arranging an agreement to help a Russian company avoid a massive fine for money laundering. This Administration should be jettisoned into space.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[barbos]

If what he says is true about being drafted then I must be KGB agent too, because I had 2 years of mandatory military service. How does that make you feel? Are you scared?

And you were in military intelligence and have perviously admitted to working for the FGB?

No. But some had mandatory in KGB. This could be a case of a guy who is regretting artistically exaggerating his CV.

 

[barbos]

If what he says is true about being drafted then I must be KGB agent too, because I had 2 years of mandatory military service. How does that make you feel? Are you scared?

Were you counter intel?

No., but I could come up with something equally impressive.

 

[Deepak]

Were you counter intel?

No., but I could come up with something equally impressive.

I'd say it would be difficult to top that, but I have a feeling you'd be able to pull it off

 

[barbos]

No., but I could come up with something equally impressive.

I'd say it would be difficult to top that, but I have a feeling you'd be able to pull it off

People lie severely exaggerate on their CV/linkedin.
As I said, keyword here is "draf"t, If I spoke english when I was 18 I would have been a former counter intelligence officer too, even though all I had been doing for 2 years of mandatory service was transcribing radio communications of western military pilots.

 

[braces_for_impact]

Statements made by Akhmetshin to the news media in July 2017 confirmed that during two years of service in the Soviet military he served in a law enforcement and counterintelligence capacity

If what he says is true about being drafted then I must be KGB agent too, because I had 2 years of mandatory military service. How does that make you feel? Are you scared?

Nope, not scared, but honestly, it sure does explain a lot.

 

[Don2 (Don1 Revised)]

I'd say it would be difficult to top that, but I have a feeling you'd be able to pull it off

People lie severely exaggerate on their CV/linkedin.
As I said, keyword here is "draf"t, If I spoke english when I was 18 I would have been a former counter intelligence officer too, even though all I had been doing for 2 years of mandatory service was transcribing radio communications of western military pilots.

Welcome to America. You are free to have political opinions and expression here. You neither have to retain your politics from Russia nor tow the line of Trump here. You are free to be completely different politically than me. You can even wear a red hat that says, "Make America Great Again," if you choose. But others and/or I will call you on it when your arguments/claims are irrational. And you are not free to put Putin's interests above the interests of the American people. Other than that, welcome. I wish you, your family, and your future well.

So in the vein of freedom of political expression, let's look at some of what you wrote.

People lie severely exaggerate on their CV/linkedin.

Like freedom and democracy, Linkedin is a transparent system where your skills can be upvoted by people you know and since everything is transparent you don't want to publicly lie. Publicly lying is a bad thing in a free society [or linkedIn]. You get negative feedback and bad references when people are called.

Those kinds of restraints might not be as bad with a CV since it's not transparent to everyone you worked with. However, when people are called for references in private generally they will be honest as there is no authoritarian state watching what they say...maybe a corporation has tapped their phone, but not a government trying force a one-way opinion.

As I said, keyword here is "draf"t, If I spoke english when I was 18 I would have been a former counter intelligence officer too, even though all I had been doing for 2 years of mandatory service was transcribing radio communications of western military pilots.

I wouldn't really call that counter intelligence but what you did may be is not relevant. Maybe. What this guy said is that he was in Afghanistan in 1986-1988 doing law enforcement and counter intelligence. So, he was working trying to maintain the USSR influence and occupation over Afghans and trying to keep Mujahadeen and Americans from infiltrating and propagandizing the populace and bases, etc. Maybe.

 

[barbos]

People lie severely exaggerate on their CV/linkedin.
As I said, keyword here is "draf"t, If I spoke english when I was 18 I would have been a former counter intelligence officer too, even though all I had been doing for 2 years of mandatory service was transcribing radio communications of western military pilots.

Welcome to America. You are free to have political opinions and expression here.

I am not in US.

You neither have to retain your politics from Russia nor tow the line of Trump here. You are free to be completely different politically than me. You can even wear a red hat that says, "Make America Great Again," if you choose. But others and/or I will call you on it when your arguments/claims are irrational. And you are not free to put Putin's interests above the interests of the American people. Other than that, welcome. I wish you, your family, and your future well.

So in the vein of freedom of political expression, let's look at some of what you wrote.

People lie severely exaggerate on their CV/linkedin.

Like freedom and democracy, Linkedin is a transparent system where your skills can be upvoted by people you know and since everything is transparent you don't want to publicly lie. Publicly lying is a bad thing in a free society [or linkedIn]. You get negative feedback and bad references when people are called.

It's all great, but as I said in reality people severely exaggerate. I have seen linkedins from few people I knew well (better than anyone else actually), and some I did research on. Problem is not that they outright lie like claiming speaking mandarin when they don't speak it at all. Problem is that everybody looks great on their linkedin, even mediocre or even simply bad and incompetent ones.

Those kinds of restraints might not be as bad with a CV since it's not transparent to everyone you worked with. However, when people are called for references in private generally they will be honest as there is no authoritarian state watching what they say...maybe a corporation has tapped their phone, but not a government trying force a one-way opinion.

As I said, keyword here is "draf"t, If I spoke english when I was 18 I would have been a former counter intelligence officer too, even though all I had been doing for 2 years of mandatory service was transcribing radio communications of western military pilots.

I wouldn't really call that counter intelligence but what you did may be is not relevant. Maybe. What this guy said is that he was in Afghanistan in 1986-1988 doing law enforcement and counter intelligence. So, he was working trying to maintain the USSR influence and occupation over Afghans and trying to keep Mujahadeen and Americans from infiltrating and propagandizing the populace and bases, etc. Maybe.

Again, if it was draft it means absolutely nothing. The guy even admitted that he was not an "officer". There is a difference between meaning of the word between english and russian. The guy simply pumped his resume to get clients and and now he is in troubles.

 

[whichphilosophy]

But since when have spies ever lied about being spies or their activities?

*Thank you, I'll show myself to the door.

Given the meeting seems to have been about removing sanctions and he works for a lobby campaigning for the removal of these he would logically have wanted to attend this meeting.

He worked for counter-intelligence in the 1980's and is possibly a spy. I'm sure that any organisation which moved to lobby on this will have some connections with the Russian government.

If I said the Americans have spies too that would be called 'false equivalence.'

Spy has a wide meaning from little more than an observer to someone stealing secrets.

Captain Obvious