RantCrush Top 5: April 4, 2017

Carter Page, an energy industry consultant who was an early adviser to the Trump campaign, reportedly met with and delivered documents to a Russian spy in 2013. The Russian intelligence operative in question, Victor Podobnyy, was charged by the U.S. government in 2015 for acting as an unregistered agent for a foreign government. Buzzfeed obtained court documents that showed that Podobnyy spoke to another man in a Russian spy ring about recruiting Carter Page to their side.

“The revelation of Page’s connection…is the most clearly documented contact to date between Russian intelligence & someone in Trump’s orbit” https://t.co/uSq7MuS4On

— Michelle B. Van Dyke (@michellebvd) April 3, 2017

This supposedly happened about three years before Page was involved with Trump’s campaign, and he was cut from the campaign when it was revealed that he was under investigation by federal authorities. But his ties to Russia are some of the clearest so far in the ongoing investigation into the relationship between Russia and the Trump campaign. So far, Page has denied meeting any Russian intelligence operatives, backtracked when presented with the documents, and is now insisting that he had nothing to do with Russia’s meddling in the election.

In light of @DCPoll exclusive that Carter Page was a Russian spy, recruited by Russian spies, my note on Page and DNC hack more clear #FISA pic.twitter.com/IFFSSnsl5G

— Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) April 4, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.