Donald Trump suggests Russia, FBI and Democrats colluded to pay for dossier on his Kremlin links - but provides no evidence
'Who paid for it, Russia, the FBI or the Dems (or all)?'
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Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump has appeared to suggest, without providing evidence, that the FBI and Russia may have colluded to fund the infamous dossier that alleged links between his team and the Kremlin.
Taking to Twitter, the US President said: “Workers of firm involved with the discredited and Fake Dossier take the 5th. Who paid for it, Russia, the FBI or the Dems (or all)?”
Mr Trump’s outlandish claim comes after two bosses of Fusion GPS, the firm that helped produce the dossier, refused to answer questions on Wednesday in a private meeting with the House Intelligence Agency.
Peter Fritsch and Thomas Catan invoked their Fifth Amendment rights, saying they would only cooperate with “serious” investigations that strike a balance between “Congress’s right to information and our client’s privileges and legal obligations”.
Joshua Levy, their lawyer, also accused a “Trump cabal” of carrying out a "campaign to demonize our client for having been tied to the Trump dossier”.
Fusion GPS's client is former British spy Christopher Steele, who compiled a report that made allegations of Russian financial and personal links to Mr Trump’s campaign and associates.
Until this month, the FBI was leading inquiries into the dossier.
A special counsel looking into whether Russia tried to sway the 2016 US election, led by former FBI director Robert Mueller, has since taken over the investigation.
The 35-page document made unverified allegations about Mr Trump and some of his campaign staff’s contact with Russia officials. It also alleged Moscow had compromising footage of the US President.
Mr Trump has denied all the allegations.
Fusion GPS had originally been hired by Republican opponents of Mr Trump in September 2015. Mr Steele joined the team eight months later in June.
After winning his party’s nomination in July 2016, Democrats took over and began paying Mr Steele and Fusion GPS to look into the billionaire’s activities.
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