A pop star, the 2013 Miss Universe pageant and the Trump campaign's alleged collusion with Russia

Photo: The meeting, set up by Russian singer Emin Agalarov (R), has come under scrutiny. (Reuters: Steve Marcus)

Donald Trump returned from the G20 meeting to a fresh controversy in the ongoing story about allegations of his campaign's ties to Russia.
The US President has denied he had any knowledge of a meeting which involved his son, Donald Trump Jr, and a Kremlin-connected lawyer who was offering damaging information about Hillary Clinton.
And now the New York Times is reporting that Mr Trump Jr was told, before the meeting, the information on offer was part of a Russian government effort to aid his father's campaign.
So how did Mr Trump Jr end up in the meeting with the lawyer?
It involves the 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow and a Russian pop star.
Let's explain how they're connected. Starting with....

The meeting

Photo: Donald Trump Jr is at the centre of the latest Russia controversy involving the Trump campaign. (AFP: Alex Wong)

Donald Trump Jr has acknowledged the 2016 meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya took place.
Jared Kusher, the president's son-in-law, and Paul Manafort, the president's campaign chairman at the time, were also at the meeting.
Mr Trump Jr said he attended the meeting at the request of an acquaintance he knew from the 2013 Miss Universe pageant (which at the time was owned by Donald Trump).
In a statement, he said Ms Veselnitskaya had "no meaningful information".
"Her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense. No details or supporting information was provided or even offered," Mr Trump Jr said.
And that, according to Mr Trump Jr, was the end of it.
The 2013 Miss Universe pageant
Remember this tweet?
External Link: @realdonaldtrump:Do you think Putin will be going to The Miss Universe Pageant in November in Moscow - if so, will he become my new best friend?
Mr Trump never met Vladimir Putin at the pageant, but his son encountered the "acquaintance" that set up the meeting with the Russian lawyer.
His name is Rob Goldstone, a publicist and former journalist who has worked for the Miss Universe pageant, according to the New York Times.
Until now, Mr Goldstone told the Washington Post he set up the meeting at the request of a client.
Mr Goldstone is also allegedly the person who allegedly informed Mr Trump Jr, via email, about the Russian government's potential links to material on offer in the meeting.
The pop star
In a new statement, Mr Goldstone has confirmed the client was Russian pop star Emin Agalarov.
Emin and his father Aras Agalarov (a wealthy real estate developer) helped sponsor the 2013 Miss Universe pageant.
He performed at the pageant, and released this music video about the competition, with a guest star at the end of the clip you might recognise.
External Link: EMIN In Another Life Official Music Video ft. Donald Trump and Miss Universe 2013 Contestants
The Washington Post reports the Agalarovs signed a preliminary deal to develop a Trump tower in Moscow after the 2013 pageant, but it's been on hold since Mr Trump began his run for president.

Photo: Miss Universe 2013 Gabriela Isler (C), Donald Trump and businessman Aras Agalarov in Moscow in 2013. (Reuters: Maxim Shemetov)
According to the New York Times, the Agalarovs "appear to have a good relationship" with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Just before the Miss Universe pageant in 2013, Mr Agalarov was given the Order of Honour, one of Russia's highest civilian awards, by Mr Putin.
Give me the TL;DR version
Donald Trump Jr and members of the Trump campaign team had a meeting with a Russian lawyer offering information about Hillary Clinton.
That meeting was set up by Rob Goldstone, who knew the Trumps from his involvement in the 2013 Miss Universe pageant.
Mr Goldstone set up the meeting at the request of Russian pop star Emin Agalarov, whose family sponsored the pageant and was allegedly in line to build Trump properties in Moscow.
Right. So what next?
Expect more heat on Mr Trump Jr.
Larry Noble, a former general counsel at the Federal Election Commission, said the situation "raises all sorts of red flags".
"You do not want your campaign to be involved with foreign nationals, period," he said.
He's hired a lawyer to represent him in Russia-related investigations. The lawyer, Alan Futerfas, specialises in criminal defence.
Meanwhile, the Senate Intelligence Committee's top Democrat Mark Warner said he "absolutely" wants to speak to Mr Trump Jr about the meeting, the revelations "move us forward" and he expects "much more to come."
A Republican member of the same committee wants Mr Trump Jr to testify before the panel.
Mr Trump Jr tweeted that he was "happy to work with the committee to pass on what I know".
ABC/Reuters/AP

http://oianews.com/a-pop-star-the-2013-miss-universe-pageant-and-the-trump-campaigns-alleged-collusion-with-russia