Joe Hockey rebuts claims on Alexander Downer role in initiating Russia probe

Joe Hockey rejects claims Alexander Downer played an orchestrated role in Russia probe.

Ambassador Joe Hockey has rejected claims that Alexander Downer played an orchestrated role in helping initiate the Russian investigation in the US. Picture: Danny Moloshok

Australia’s ambassador to the US, Joe Hockey, has publicly rejected claims by Republican senator Lindsey Graham that former Australian diplomat Alexander Downer played an orchestrated role in helping initiate the Russian investigation.

In a letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Senator Graham — a close ally of Donald Trump — says “it appears that the United States law enforcement and intelligence communities relied on foreign intelligence as part of their efforts to investigate and monitor the 2016 presidential election”.

“This included ... accepting information from an Australian diplomat who was also directed to contact (Trump foreign policy adviser George) Papadopolous and relay information obtained from him regarding the campaign to the FBI.”

“I write to urge that you continue operating with the US AG as he continues this important investigation.”

In a response to Senator Graham, Mr Hockey wrote: “In your letter you made mention of the role of an Australian diplomat. We reject your characterisation of his role.

“I can assure you that the Australian Government is cooperating with Attorney General (William) Barr’s inquiry.”

Mr Hockey pointed out to Senator Graham that Australia had previously written to Mr Barr in May to offer full co-operation with Mr Barr’s inquiry into the origins of the Russian investigation.

Senator Graham’s suggestion that Mr Downer, who was then Australia’s high commissioner in London, was “directed” to meet Mr Papadopolous in May 2016 plays into broader conspiracy theories that have been touted by Mr Papadopolous and some right-wing commentators and politicians in the US.

Mr Downer met Mr Papadopolous, a junior adviser to the Trump campaign, in a London wine bar in May 2016. During that meeting Mr Papadopolous told Mr Downer that Russia had a trove of emails that would damage Mr Trump’s rival Hillary Clinton.

Mr Downer reported the news to Canberra, and Australia eventually reported it to the US. Special counsel Robert Mueller says this information triggered the FBI’s Russia investigation in mid-2016, four months before the November election.

But Mr Papadopolous, who was jailed for two weeks last year for lying to the FBI, claims Mr Downer was spying on him in order to establish that the Trump campaign was secretly working with the Russians, a claim Mr Downer rejects.

Mr Papadopolous said he believed the meeting, organised by Australian diplomat Erika Thompson, whose partner worked at the Israeli embassy, was “anything but random”.

“Was he trying to bait me into saying something that could spark an investigation. I believe so,” Mr Papadopolous said.

Mr Barr initiated a probe early this year into the origins of the Russia investigation to examine whether the FBI or US intelligence agencies acted appropriately in initiating the Russia investigation. Mr Trump has always dismissed the investigation as a witch-hunt and is deeply suspicious about its origins, believing it may have been started for political reasons to try to ensure that he did not defeat Mrs Clinton in the 2016 election.

Cameron Stewart is also US contributor for Sky News Australia