Pascrell Reads Steele Dossier into Congressional Record

Flags Russian Links to Trump in Advance of Putin Summit on House Floor

WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, after months of misleading statements by President Trump and his associates regarding their contacts with Russian officials, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) took to the floor of the House of Representatives to officially read the “Steele Dossier” into the Congressional Record. The dossier is a collection of short reports produced in 2016 alleging, among other things, multiple contacts and connections between the Trump Campaign and Russia-linked operatives before, during, and after the 2016 Presidential Election.

“The President, his family members, his campaign staff, and his close associates have repeatedly lied about their multiple contacts with Russian officials and close associates of Putin,” said Rep. Pascrell. “To ensure the American people and future Congresses know how we got here, today I will read parts of the Trump–Russia dossier, also known as the Christopher Steele dossier, and enter its entirety into the Congressional Record.”

Pascrell continued, “Dossier Claim, Page 1: ‘Russian regime has been cultivating, supporting and assisting Trump for at least 5 years. Aim, endorsed by Putin, has been to encourage splits and divisions in western alliance.’ Truth: A January 6, 2017, intelligence community assessment released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence stated that Russian leadership favored Trump’s candidacy over Clinton’s, and that Putin personally ordered an ‘influence campaign’ to harm Clinton’s electoral chances and ‘undermine public faith in the US democratic process,’ as well as ordering cyber-attacks on ‘both major U.S. political parties.’”

Rep. Pascrell proceeded to read claims of the Dossier followed by reports and information backing-up said claims. The entirety of his speech can be viewed here.

In January 2017, Rep. Pascrell led the call for an independent congressional investigation of President Trump’s connections to Russia. Preceding Trump’s first meeting with Vladmir Putin in July of that same year, Rep. Pascrell led 12 of his colleagues in the House of Representatives in a letter urging President Trump to confront the Russian President on the following transgressions around the world. He has also been Congress’ most vocal proponent of releasing President Trump’s tax returns in order to reveal any potential conflicts of interest, including those with Russian entities.

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