Why is Trump open to letting Russia interrogate Americans, including former U.S. ambassador McFaul?

WASHINGTON – The firestorm over President Donald Trump's summit with Vladimir Putin has broadened to include the revelation that Trump is open to allowing Russian investigators to grill American citizens, including former U.S. ambassador Michael McFaul.

The White House confirmed Wednesday that Trump was considering a proposal from the Russian president to allow Kremlin officials to question McFaul and other individuals in exchange for allowing U.S. investigators to sit in on the questioning of 12 Russians indicted on charges of trying to undermine the 2016 U.S. election.

The arrangement, which Trump called an "incredible offer," has been condemned by critics and dubbed "absolutely absurd" by the State Department.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said the request had been discussed but there "wasn't a commitment made on behalf of the United States."

But who are these individuals? Why does Russia want access to them and why would the U.S. be willing to cooperate with these requests?

Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador and Putin critic

Michael McFaul, a former U.S. ambassador to Russia under President Barack Obama, served in that role when ties between Moscow and Washington deteriorated after an early effort by the Obama administration to "reset" the relationship.

He wrote a book on his tenure in Moscow and his contentious relationship with Putin, including when Obama signed the Magnitsky Act into law, named after Sergei Magnitsky, a tax accountant who died in prison after calling out fraud by Russian officials. The Magnitsky Act, which McFaul supported, imposed stiff sanctions on Moscow.

McFaul's book,  "From Cold War to Hot Peace," details Kremlin attempts to discredit and harass him, with tactics that included dispatching protesters to his front gates and criticizing him on state media.

McFaul was named a "person of interest" by Russian prosecutors in their case against Bill Browder, a British citizen born in America and associate of Magnitsky who had pushed for the passage of the law slapping sanctions on Russia.

"Putin is seeking to arrest a former Ambassador. Please understand how outrageous this act is, discussed no less between our two presidents," McFaul wrote on Twitter.

On Wednesday, McFaul said he was astonished that the White House acknowledged it was considering allowing Russians to question him about a "fabricated" story.

"I hope the White House corrects the record and denounces in categorical terms this ridiculous request from Putin," he wrote on Twitter. "Not doing so creates moral equivalency between a legitimacy US indictment of Russian intelligence officers and a crazy, completely fabricated story invented by Putin."

Bill Browder, a top enemy of Russia

Russia has long wanted to get their hands on Bill Browder.

Browder has been convicted multiple times, in absentia, by Russian courts.

He was a successful investor who headed the company Hermitage Capital Management, which oversaw massive amounts of investments in Russia, up until 2005 when his business was raided and he was kicked out of the country.

Russian authorities seized about $230 million of assets. Determined to find out what happened, Browder, born in Chicago and later moved to Britain, and Magnitsky, his accountant, exposing a massive conspiracy involving government officials and members of the Russian mafia to steal state tax revenues.

The scheme later resulted in judgments of more than $1.2 million against Browder's company and a number of criminal convictions against the businessman after he spoke out about his findings.

He's been a vocal opponent of Putin and the Russian government. After he was kicked out of the country, Browder and Magnitsky tried to get to the bottom of the scheme.

Magnitsky was arrested on tax fraud charges and later beaten to death in a Moscow prison.

Browder has advocated for sanctions against wealthy Russians accused of crimes, many with direct links to Putin. In response, Putin has called Browder a "serial killer," leading to numerous death threats.

Moscow has sought his extradition from Britain. It has also tried many times to have him arrested via international police organization Interpol.

It's unclear whether the U.S. would have authority to allow Russia the chance to interview Browder since he lives in Britain.

Browder called it "shocking" that the White House was even considering the idea of allowing Putin to question Americans.

"People are saying you know what does Trump think about Putin? What does Trump think about Russia? This is his big test," Browder told Fox News. "You know he should come out decisively against this. To say that he thinks it’s an interesting idea, to have his press secretary say they’re considering it — that is just shocking."

Putin offers to 'help' with Russia probe

Putin has been adamant that his country had nothing to do with meddling in the 2016 presidential election, even laughing off accusations and details laid out by U.S. investigators.

But while meeting with Trump on Monday, he made an offer to help the investigation into election interference that is being led by special counsel Robert Mueller.

In exchange for letting Russian investigators question Browder, McFaul and several others wanted for questioning in criminal investigations, Putin would allow American investigators to do the same in Russia.

Trump called it an "incredible offer" but FBI Director Christopher Wray played down the idea in an interview with NBC's Lester Holt Wednesday evening, saying the idea was "not high on our list of investigative techniques" at the bureau.

Heather Nauert, a spokeswoman for the State Department, called the idea "absolutely absurd."

"The prosecutor general in Russia is well aware that the United States has rejected Russian allegations in this regard," she said of the allegations.

She urged Russian authorities to, instead, work with the U.S. to bring to justice those Russians who perpetrated the " fraudulent scheme" against "Mr. Browder, but also his company and others, and also the Russian people as a whole."

Contributing: Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY 

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