Trump Adviser Refuses to Testify in Senate Intel in Russia Probe

On Tuesday, Former Trump policy adviser Carter Page informed the Senate Intelligence Committee investing the Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election that he will not be cooperating with requests to testify.

Sources say that if asked to testify, Page would plead the Fifth.

Page has come under scrutiny after details emerged regarding meetings he had in 2016 with high-level Russian associates of President Vladimir Putin. Page has denied that the meetings ever occurred, but the Trump administration didn't want to risk being tainted and quickly distanced themselves from Page.

It isn't the first time Page has come under fire for his relationship with the Russians.

According to Politico, Page came under scrutiny by the FBI in 2013 after he met with a Russian Intelligence operative in New York City, several years before he started working for Trump. While he was never charged with a crime, it certainly didn't help Page's credibility.

Some on Twitter noted that Page has changed his tune since May, when he told Business Insider that he had "no intention to plead the Fifth, since I've never done anything wrong." Page even showed up on Capitol Hill to drop off a document alleging that Hillary Clinton and her campaign had committed a hate crime against. The complaint alleges that the campaign planted fake stories about his Russian dealings because he was a Catholic male.

One Twitter user broke down for us why Page might have shifted his position on testifying:

While it remains unclear if the Senate Intelligence Committee has officially sought testimony from Page, more of Trump's associates have been asked to submit documents and testimony in recent months, including Jared Kushner and Donald Trump, Jr. If Page, or any other Trump-connected figure, refuses to testify before the panel, Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-Va.) have not ruled out issuing subpoenas.

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H/T: Politico, Twitter, Business Insider