Meeting people who might have political information is not a criminal act, Rep. Sean Duffy said Friday, defending Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting with the Russian lawyer in 2016.
"I don't have an issue with it…. In politics, if I meet with, whether it's a citizen or a non-citizen, and they give me information or an idea or talk about policy, there's nothing wrong with that. That's not a crime," the Wisconsin Republican told CNN's "New Day" program.
"I have no problems with what Donald Jr. did, and I don't think any prosecutor would either," he added, rejecting criticism of the meeting by saying Democrats appeared to have no issues with Russia during the Obama administration.
"The ones who have loved the Russians have been the Democrats. And to now say when [Barack] Obama was there, they were great friends of ours, but now that Trump's there, they're a hostile state.
"They're no friend to the U.S., I want to be clear on that," Duffy said about Russia.
Duffy cited a difference between "politics and legality," if he were offered a meeting with Russians.
"Politically, I would go, 'well, you know what, I might have someone else take that meeting.' I might not take that meeting myself, but I might still want that information," Duffy said. "I don't think it's a bad act on the part of Donald Jr. at all."
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