A Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee on Friday pushed back against efforts to downplay the role of President Trump's son-in-law and senior White House adviser Jared Kushner Jared Corey KushnerAbraham Accords: New hope for peace in Middle East Tenants in Kushner building file lawsuit alleging dangerous living conditions Trump hosts Israel, UAE, Bahrain for historic signing MORE during the 2016 presidential campaign.

"He was not a novice," Rep. Eric Swalwell Eric Michael SwalwellSwalwell calls for creation of presidential crimes commission to investigate Trump when he leaves office 'This already exists': Democrats seize on potential Trump executive order on preexisting conditions Swalwell: Barr has taken Michael Cohen's job as Trump's fixer MORE (D-Calif.) said during an interview with KQED television in California.

"The campaign has tried to put out, 'Oh, we were in way over our head, all of this was happening very fast.' ... I found him to be a very meticulous person," Swalwell added.

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Kushner was interviewed by members of the House Intelligence Committee at the end of July. The session, which lasted about three hours, focused on Kushner's role in the campaign and meetings with Russian officials before and after the election.

"I found him to be very smart, very worldly. He's a thoroughbred," Swalwell said Friday. "You know, his family was in the real estate business. He may not have had a political background, but he brought a business experience."

"In his own statement he acknowledged a deep reach into the political, financial and digital communications parts of the campaign," the California Democrat added.

Asked if he thought Kushner had misled investigators, Swalwell declined to say.

"I'm going to withhold judgement on whether he was truthful or not," he said. "I want to test some of what he said."

Kushner denied colluding with Russia in a July statement, saying his actions on the campaign should be viewed "through the lens of a fast-paced campaign."