The Justice Department has made a significant correction to former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on President Trump and Russia following a lengthy legal battle. The correction acknowledges a critical error in the infamous "golden showers" footnote.
The footnote, tucked away in the 2019 Mueller report, connected Georgian-American businessman Giorgi Rtskhiladze to alleged "tapes" of Donald Trump in Moscow. This link fueled speculations about Russian leverage over Trump and stemmed from the controversial "Steele dossier" compiled by ex-British intelligence officer Christopher Steele before the 2016 elections. However, Rtskhiladze, vehemently objecting to the misinformation, stated, "This was a huge lie... They knew I was Georgian-American."
The correction clarifies that Rtskhiladze is not Russian, a significant revelation considering the impact of the false information on the salacious allegations surrounding Trump's purported activities in a Moscow hotel room during the Miss Universe pageant in 2013. The correction, the only official alteration to the 448-page report, was quietly issued by the DOJ without formal notification.
Rtskhiladze, who sued Mueller and the US government for defamation in 2020, expressed his frustration at being portrayed as a conduit for Moscow's interests, despite being a US citizen with ties to a former Soviet republic. The correction, specifically addressing the misidentification of Rtskhiladze, highlights the detrimental effects of the false narrative on his reputation.
The businessman also contested the misrepresentation of his communications with Michael Cohen, emphasizing that the report distorted the nature of his messages. Despite not receiving financial compensation from his defamation case, Rtskhiladze continues to seek reimbursement for legal fees incurred during the legal battle.
Rtskhiladze's efforts to rectify the situation extended to engaging with key figures in the Trump administration and advocating for a correction to the erroneous information. His spokesperson emphasized the adverse impact of the footnote error on Rtskhiladze and his family, underlining the need to address the mischaracterization that fueled the "Russia hoax."
Having terminated his development project with the Trump Organization following the 2016 election, Rtskhiladze remains committed to clearing his name and combating Russian influence in the region.
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