Oct. 11 (UPI) — The former foreign policy adviser to President Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign said he will plead the Fifth Amendment in the Senate Intelligence Committee’s Russia investigation to avoid turning over documents he said are irrelevant to the inquiry.
Carter Page told CNN the “vast array” of documents requested by the committee is “beyond the charter” of the investigation.
However, he has agreed to testify publicly during the committee’s open hearing on November 1, Politico reported.
The Senate Intelligence committee has spoken to several high-level Trump associates, including son Donald Trump, Jr. and son-in-law Jared Kushner, the senior adviser to the president. It has also sought to speak with Page to help determine if Russia sought to influence the Trump campaign.
Although Page said he would plead the Fifth to the Senate inquiry, he has spoken to the FBI at length. In March, Page spoke to FBI officials for more than 10 hours over the course of five meetings, reported the Washington Post.
Page, a former naval officer, said the FBI “acknowledged that I’m a loyal American veteran but indicated that their management was concerned that I did not believe the conclusions” of a Jan 6. U.S. intelligence report that alleged Russian government interference in the 2016 presidential election.
“Our frank and open conversations gave me confidence that there are still logical, honest individuals at the bureau who respect civil rights and the Constitution,” he said.
Page has been suspected of being connected to the Russian government since last year when media reports said he met with associates of Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
Although Page had done extensive business in Russia as an energy consultant before advising Trump, he denied those meetings took place.
