How did the NY Times get Uday's emails about Russia meeting?

[MrPurple]

I haven't seen any information on this and it seems like it would be a significant question. Has anyone heard any speculation on how the NY Times got access to Trump, Jr.'s emails about the Trump Tower meeting offering Russian dirt on Hillary? It seems that either someone was hacked, or someone on the distribution list of the email is leaking. Could it be the Russians that released it, to make Trump more compliant and show that they're willing to crush him? Does Mueller have the emails from intercepts and someone on the committee leaked them?

It could be that information has been provided on this that I didn't notice, but it seems like a pretty intriguing issue that I haven't heard in the coverage.

[Sanity Claws]

1. The reporter said he worked on the story

For a year.

[IphengeniaBlumgarten]

2. Think I read that it was Kushner's lawyers...

trying to take some of the pressure off of Kushner.

[MrPurple]

3. Yeah, but Kushner attended the meeting, so I don't see how it helps him

Wouldn't it be better for Kushner for evidence of this meeting not to be disclosed? Plus, Kushner is Trump's Secretary of Everything - wouldn't it destroy his relationship with Trump if he rolled over on Junior?

[WinkyDink]

5. Jared on legal advice revealed all his meetings. He didn't want to take the fall alone, so..... ;-)

[Brother Buzz]

6. Kushner's lawyer works for Kushner...

and they knew the jig was up, and it was Junior's gig from the get-go. No point in BOTH of them being run over by the bus barreling down on them.

Here's some sound advice: Never, ever, get into a lifeboat with any of the Trump clan.

[IphengeniaBlumgarten]

7. There was already evidence of the meeting

I believe Manafort's phone was "hot-miked" by intelligence operatives, not sure whether ours or some allied country's. Thus the whole meeting was recorded.

[MrPurple]

8. That makes sense that Manafort would be surveiled

Given his previous associations with Russia & Putin's lackey regime in Ukraine. Hopefully, there's lots more shoes and boots ready to drop.

[H2O Man]

4. That is correct.

The NYT got them from Kushner's group (though not necessarily the lawyer).

[karynnj]

9. Though simply speculation, it makes sense as Kushner HAD to disclose the meeting

because he had to redo the list of foreign contacts on his request for a security clearance. The speculation was that it was better for knowledge of this to come out associated with Trump Jr, who has no role in the administration than it would be for Kushner, with the highest clearance there is, to have to speak about it before Congress.

I suspect that the NYT had some hint of this from their own investigation and was asking the right questions - making it obvious that this WAS going to come out - and there was an administration assesment that it would be less damaging if Trump Jr was seen to be transparent about it. Remember that at least a week before, many RW media voices switched from no collusion to "that would not be illegal if it happened". In hindsight, the Trump response when they saw the media was going to get and publish this story -- was everybody would do this, give Jr credit for transparency, and HRC was far worse. (Having been a parent, imagine your kid fearing a phone call from the school, telling you that Hillary and Billie were way worse than him and he didn't do anything in class that otheres wouldn't have done given the chance. )

There are some stories that Manaford or people with him might have been the source, but I don't see how this takes pressure off of him.