The father of Jared Kushner — President Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser — said in an interview with The New York Times on Sunday that neither his family nor his business has acted improperly, as multiple investigations have put a negative spotlight on the Kushners over the past year.
“Go knock yourselves out for the next 10 years,” Charles Kushner told the Times. “We didn’t do anything wrong.”
The elder Kushner said the records he has voluntarily provided to investigators show that his business and his family have acted properly.
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Charles Kushner went to prison in 2005 for tax evasion, witness tampering and illegal campaign donations that stemmed partly from a family feud.
He expressed hope that, with his son in the White House, he might receive a pardon, according to the Times.
However, Jared Kushner’s time in the White House has been plagued with inquiries from the special counsel, including questions about whether he discussed his business with foreign officials.
And Charles Kushner’s real estate business is viewed as tainted by some investors concerned about its association with the Trump administration.
The elder Kushner told the Times that all insinuations about ethical issues concerning his business were just false inferences he attributed to political opponents.
His son has been under scrutiny recently after he met at the White House last year with two financial companies that lent Kushner Companies more than half a billion dollars.
The head of the Office of Government Ethics has requested that White House counsel examine the meetings.
State regulators in New York are also looking into loans to Kushner from German lender Deutsche Bank, among others. And federal authorities are investigating Kushner’s sister over concerns she used her brother’s position in the White House to attract Chinese investment in a real estate deal.
Kushner also got his security clearance downgraded earlier this year after months of delays in his background check.