Jared Kushner claimed to be too busy working on a Middle East peace plan to be bothered with whether or not his pal, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, ordered the brutal murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. But the CIA and Republican senators have already concluded there’s a “smoking saw.”
It’s not clear what prompted the reticent Kushner to go on the Hannity show Monday night. He made a show of promoting a prison reform bill Hannity said Kushner is “spearheading … in terms of the White House.” That is, when he's not super focused on Middle East peace.
But it seems just as likely that Kushner was looking for some Republican Rehab given how his image has taken a (well-deserved) beating over the death of Khashoggi. For one thing, Kushner reportedly spilled classified information to his Saudi BFF, often referred to as MBS, by giving him the names of people disloyal to him. “Shortly afterward, MBS bragged to the Emirati crown prince and others that Kushner was ‘in his pocket,’ a source told The Intercept.
More recently, The New York Times reported in detail how the Saudis have wooed and played the inexperienced Kushner. Whether or not Kushner has caught on, he still seems to be a willing partner. Apparently, Kushner thinks Khashoggi's murder is no big deal and that we should all just move on:
American officials and a Saudi briefed on their conversations said that Mr. Kushner and Prince Mohammed have continued to chat informally. According to the Saudi, Mr. Kushner has offered the crown prince advice about how to weather the storm, urging him to resolve his conflicts around the region and avoid further embarrassments.
[…]
Inside the White House, Mr. Kushner has continued to argue that the president needs to stand by Prince Mohammed because he remains essential to the administration’s broader Middle East strategy, according to people familiar with the deliberations.
Sean Hannity, perhaps mindful that his own image was on the line if he didn’t at least ask Kushner about Khashoggi, gingerly brought up the topic near the end of the interview when there wouldn’t be time for any follow up or challenges.
Even so, Kushner botched his response:
HANNITY: It seems like there is a moment where there is a new alliance, a coalition emerging against Iranian hegemony and a potentially nuclear-armed Iran. Has that process been hurt as a result of the Khashoggi killing? What is the status? I know 17 individuals are being held responsible. And do you feel we’ll get to the bottom of it if we haven’t already?
KUSHNER: I think our intelligence agencies are making their assessments and we’re hoping to make sure that there’s justice brought where that should be. We’re focused now on the broader region which is figuring out how to hopefully bring a deal together between the Israelis and the Palestinians. That conflict has gone on for way too long. The president’s been very focused on trying to bring all the different parties together and we’re hopeful in the next couple of months we’ll put out our plan which, again, not every side is gonna love but there’s enough in it and enough reasons why people should take it and move forward and this plan will keep the Israeli people safe, give them a good future but also give a real opportunity of hope for the Palestinian people so they can live much better lives.
Earth to Kushner: The CIA has already concluded Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed ordered Khashoggi’s murder. Last week, after CIA chief Gina Haspel briefed a bipartisan group of senators, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said, “There is not a smoking gun, there’s a smoking saw." He was referring to the bone saw allegedly used to dismember Khashoggi’s body. “You have to be willfully blind” not to see it, Graham further said.
Of course, Hannity never brought up any of those facts that fly in the face of Kushner’s claim. Nor did Hannity challenge Kushner for buddying up to the guy responsible for the murder of a journalist who was a permanent resident of the U.S.
Watch Kushner prove he doesn’t belong anywhere near U.S. foreign policy below, from the December 10, 2018 Hannity.
Regret to inform you there is not enough bullshit in the known universe to bring you and your partners-in-crime back home. Good luck fighting off the indictment storm ahead. Don’t worry about your assets – they’ll be put to very good use helping the poor and homeless.
The old hawk may have to return to his old occupation of house painting-provided he doesn’t go to jail first.
NOTE TO HANNITY
We are taking bets on who will occupy your office at this demonic skyscraper. Whoever takes it over will need a priest to do a blessing on the space to scare off the demons.