Page 27 - Compromising Information News Today

Politicians and national security officials about russian interference in the u.s. election did not begin until after russia began interfering in the u.s. election. bring in cnn international correspondent matthew chance based in moscow. matthew what is the kremlins response to this story? >> reporter: well, i mean, jake, theyre trying to put as much distance as they can between this latest episode, this latest scandal involving his russian lawyer meeting with donald trump jr. in trump tower as ...

Donald trump jr.? >> if this was truly the russian government seeking, as the email said, now they want to you to take that meeting, knows what happened and this is to gather compromising information on individuals and use it when it can effect their agenda. and thats the compromise where they put you in extortion position. either you work for us, help us or well expose you. so its still too early to tell if thats what they were doing but if this was the russian government, more than the evidenc...

Contest here. he did that with a russian billionaire, property developer, his son is that sort of pop star orangely sold a million records or something like that. but hes in connection with this lawyer, shes done work with the business community here. she obviously accessed him as a way to get through to the trump campaign team as it was then and its not clear where this idea that she had compromising information came from. did she make it up as a way of accessing, of getting through the door to...

Possess compromising information that can influence this presidents conduct of american policy. the russians know about this meeting. they were behind organizing the meeting. if there were other meetings that the russians know about, if there were other interactions with the trump campaign that the russians are aware of, that is something they can hold over the head of the president of the united states. and our people want to know that you are o president is acting on their behalf and not actin...

I mean, veselnitskaya first of all says she has no compromising information that she could offer about hillary clinton to the trump campaign. despite those e-mails showing that donald trump jr. at least was very keen to receive that kind of sensitive information from her. what this lawyer says that she had this meeting to lobby for the lifting of the u.s. legislation designed to punish suspected russian human rights abusers and corrupt officials. shes also lobbying against the ban on adoptions b...

It was a private meeting not related at all to the fact that he was the son of the candidate. >> reporter: well, veselnitskaya of course denying again that she had that compromising information. she also denied she was sent by the kremlin as part of this campaign to meddle in the u.s. election. the kremlin for that part say theyve never even heard of veselnitskaya. >> as to that meddling in the election though, does it get us any closer to establishing how and if russia meddled in the u.s. elect...

I think is that the russians possess compromising information that can influence this presidents conduct of american policy. the russians know about this meeting. they were behind organizing the meeting. if there were other meetings that the russians know about, if there were other interactions with the trump campaign that the russians are aware of, that is something they can hold over the head of the president of the united states. and our people want to know that you are o president is acting ...

Material was part of a russian government effort to aid his fathers candidacy. this is according to three people with knowledge of the e-mail. maggie haberman of "the new york times" joins us now by phone. maggie, this is just breaking now. explain what you know and all the details you can. >> sure. i mean theres a lot that we know and theres also a lot that we dont know. what we know is what you just described. we know that before this meeting that has been the subject of stories over the last ...

Information about hillary clinton. the understanding was it was coming from the russian government. even further that it was part of a russian government effort to help donald trump. so thats a step forward. no question. but keep in mind also, there are these other meetings. so is this part of a pattern? were these other meetings, will we find out other details, e-mails that detail meetings that took place before and after were also a part of this, and where there was actual information exchange...

And, of course, the profound question is why and thats the question that we need to answer. i have time for one last question. >> could you please give us an update on the sanctions bill? and give us an idea as to whether these events today will affect the path of that bill at all. just bring us up to date. >> well, we stand ready, i think, on a very bipartisan basis to pass the senate bill overwhelmingly. i have no doubt if it came up for a vote tomorrow, it would pass overwhelmingly. certainly...