[ad_1]
New York
CNN
—
former donald trump adviser Tom Barack Testified Monday that he was unaware of an Emirati businessman doing business in the United States on behalf of the United Arab Emirates government, as prosecutors alleged.
Barrack’s lawyer, Michael Schachter, asked him about his meeting with Rashid Al Malik, an Emirati who allegedly fled the United States in April 2018 shortly after an interview with the FBI. He remains at large. Barrack, his assistant Matthew Grimes and Al Malik have been indicted for allegedly acting as a secret covert channel for the UAE. Both have pleaded not guilty.
“Have you ever thought that Rashid might be some kind of government agent in the UAE?” Shacht asked.
“No, sir,” Barack replied.
“Has he asked if you would agree to do business in the US under the direction or control of the UAE?” Schacht asked.
“Absolutely not,” Barack replied.
In his opening remarks, prosecutors said Al Malik was an Emirati citizen and “operated covertly in the United States on behalf of the UAE government”.
“Defendant Barak even called Rashid Malik the UAE’s secret weapon to influence the United States,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Hilal Mehta said.
Barak testified that he met in 2015 with Sheikh Tahnoon, an Emirati official with whom he hoped to discuss then-candidate Trump.
“Because I knew at the time that most Arabs were very concerned that not Trump would become president, but any presidential candidate could attack the Muslim religion in this way,” Barak testified Monday.
After the meeting, Barack said he notified Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort of his meeting with Sheikh Tanun.
“I know Donald Trump, no matter what anyone thinks, is smart and instinctively adapts to different viewpoints, and in my opinion the Muslim ban is a big problem for him, for those who say ‘this is America, you How can an entire religion be banned?'” Barak said. “President Trump doesn’t have any representatives of the Muslim community or the Arab community who know what to do. I think it’s good for all of them to have a dialogue.”
Barack also testified that he was paying legal fees for Grimes, who is nearly 50 years his junior, and praised him enthusiastically, calling him a “partner” and praising his intellectual curiosity.
“One of the worst feelings of my life is that he’s sitting in this courtroom today,” Ballack said. “It’s ridiculous.”
Barack, a longtime friend of Trump, became his adviser and chaired his inaugural committee.
Shortly before Barack took office on Monday, Trump posted on his Truth social account that Barack was a “respected businessman” who did not believe he was a foreign agent for the UAE.
“He was unfairly persecuted only because he was a ‘Trump’ supporter,” Trump said in the post.
[ad_2]
Source link