“[I]t is important that any communications that may have occurred over private email or via other non-governmental platforms are appropriately preserved and secure,” Sen. Ben Cardin wrote. | Alex Brandon/AP Cardin requests details on Kushner's use of personal email account

The top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday requested more information about White House senior adviser Jared Kushner’s use of a personal email account to conduct government business, sending letters to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and White House counsel Don McGahn.

POLITICO reported late Monday that White House officials have begun examining emails associated with a previously unreported email account on a private domain established by Kushner and his wife, Ivanka Trump. Since January, hundreds of emails have been sent to the family domain from White House addresses. Most went to an account that Kushner and Trump both had access to and shared with their household staff for family scheduling.


“In light of recent reports that multiple senior advisors in the White House have conducted official government business via personal email, I write to ensure that none of these communications involved foreign governments or diplomatic efforts,” Sen. Ben Cardin, (D-Md.), the top Democrat on the foreign relations panel, wrote in separate letters to the administration officials.

Cardin said Kushner is “notably among” the cast of President Donald Trump's aides who not only have used personal accounts to communicate but have also “met with representatives of foreign governments, traveled abroad on official business, and carried out public diplomacy on behalf of our country.”

“[I]t is important that any communications that may have occurred over private email or via other non-governmental platforms are appropriately preserved and secure,” Cardin wrote. “In particular, Mr. Kushner’s active role in arranging meetings and engaging in diplomacy, both in public and private, coupled with his use of unofficial email, raises questions as to whether any communications regarding representatives of foreign governments occurred through unofficial channels and could have been compromised.”

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The Maryland Democrat asked Tillerson if he was aware of any communication between White House officials and foreign officials through unofficial channels or if he, any senior State Department employees or embassy officials had received communications from a White House employee through a non-government account or device — and, if so, to provide copies.

Cardin similarly asked McGahn if any White House officials have communicated with any senior State or embassy official with a non-government account or device and if any communications occurred between White House employees and foreign officials — adding that, if so, he should provide copies of the communications.

Cardin gave Tillerson and McGahn until Oct. 17 to respond.