Trump's Jewish Son-in-Law Emerges as Quiet Force
bigstory.ap.org
By STEVE PEOPLES and JONATHAN LEMIRE | Jun. 9, 2016 3:26 AM EDT
NEW YORK (AP) — A new power player has emerged among the feuding factions behind Donald Trump's presidential campaign, one that through the bonds of marriage enjoys a direct line to the Republican billionaire.
Despite limited political experience and some family baggage, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner is playing an active role in virtually every aspect of the New York real estate magnate's presidential bid. And empowered through his marriage to Trump's trusted daughter Ivanka Trump, the 35-year-old Kushner operates with an extraordinary level of autonomy within an organization now struggling to shift its focus toward the general election.
Kushner's growing influence in recent weeks, as described by several people with direct knowledge of his role, has included the selection and vetting of potential running mates, planning for his father-in-law's transition to the White House, the campaign's nascent push to incorporate voter data into its strategy, fundraising, and the development of major policies. He also played a hand in writing Trump's closely watched speech, delivered with the aid of a teleprompter, on Tuesday night meant to reassure jittery Republicans after the candidate's attacks on a federal judge. Those confidants were not authorized to speak publicly.
The young businessman's rise adds a new complication to an intense internal power struggle.
Kushner's background has little to do with politics or public policy, as noted by internal campaign critics who worry he has too much power. Others described Kushner, while inexperienced, as a mild-mannered and valuable presence with helpful connections in the media world and across the Jewish community.
He took over his family's New Jersey-based real estate firm at the age of 23 after his father, Charles Kushner, went to prison for tax evasion, making illegal campaign contributions and witness intimidation. The younger Kushner later became the publisher of the New York Observer, a Manhattan-based newspaper read largely for its high society and real estate coverage.
"Every publisher in New York has a role in influencing the political debate, from the tabloids to the broadsheets to the community weeklies," said Mitchell Moss, a professor of urban planning at New York University and an acquaintance of Kushner. "He's an intelligent and thoughtful young man and he has now surged to the political top through marriage."
He is also notoriously private.
Kushner, who rarely speaks to journalists despite being a newspaper publisher, declined an interview request through a representative. And even those who work with him regularly in the business world know little about his work on the presidential campaign.
"You wouldn't know anything about it even if you interact with him multiple times a day like I do," said Asher Abehsera, CEO of real estate development company LIVWRK. He added, "He's creative and exceptionally well-connected."
And as Trump's senior aides jockey for internal influence, the level of Kushner's access to the presumptive Republican presidential nominee has surprised campaign officials at times. One aide recalled having a private phone conversation with Trump when he heard Kushner's voice unexpectedly. Trump was talking on speaker phone, the aide realized, while Kushner was in the room.
…
