White House press secretary Sean Spicer was on the defensive in his Monday afternoon press conference when speaking about President Donald Trump’s travel ban appeal and the Kushner family’s attempt to recruit Chinese investors for an “investor visa” program. He said “[Kushner] wasn’t involved.”
Backlash for a sales pitch from Jared Kushner's family firm to Chinese investors came quickly, with one former White House ethics advisor calling the weekend's presentation "corruption, pure and simple."
Richard Painter, formerly an attorney for President George W. Bush, said the sales pitch, which focused on an "investor visa" program and mentioned both Jared Kushner and President Donald Trump, came "very, very close to solicitation of a bribe."
Over the weekend, the Kushner Companies invited wealthy foreigners to sink cash into a New Jersey real estate project via the EB-5 program. The so-called "golden visa" program gives foreigners who invest at least $500,000 in U.S. development projects a faster track to pursue green cards for themselves and their families.
Nicole Meyer, Kushner's sister, said Monday through a spokesperson that she was sorry if anyone misinterpreted her mention of her brother.
