Friday, February 23, 2018

What's David Kramer hiding?

[David Kramer, an associate of Sen. John McCain] invoked the Fifth Amendment in order to not testify before the House Intelligence Committee.

[...]

Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) had wanted to speak with Kramer about his visit to London in November 2016, during which he met with the author of the dossier, former British spy Christopher Steele. According to court filings, he met with Steele at McCain's request, to view “the pre-election memoranda on a confidential basis."

Kramer then traveled back to the U.S. and gave copies of the memos to McCain, who then turned the documents over to the FBI.

The committee interviewed Kramer last month prior to issuing a subpoena for him.

  The Hill
So, if he's already testified, what could it possibly be that would incriminate him legally (or politically?), garnering a subpoena and the need to take the fifth? Did he alter the dossier in some way? This is very curious to me. Also, when he testified, he asked a judge to have his testimony sealed.
Kramer’s lawyer, Marcos Jiminez, argued in a motion to seal that the release of the deposition would jeopardize his personal safety, make him subject to hounding from the press, and conflict with congressional investigations looking into the dossier.

[...]

He asserted that Kramer’s deposition in the BuzzFeed lawsuit “would reveal the extent of the Congressional Committees’ knowledge regarding the information provided by Mr. Kramer in closed-door sessions.”

  Daily Caller
So, that seems like a bid to protect Nunes. I'm confused. Again.

The docket on the case is here, but I can't decipher whether or not the motion to seal was granted (entered on 1/23/18). It looks like it hasn't been dealt with yet. And I know very little about law, but I'm guessing if there's a request/motion, then the testimony can't be made public until that motion has been ruled on.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

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