The special counsel tasked with overseeing the Justice Department’s investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and possible collusion with Trump campaign officials is already looking into memos former FBI Director James Comey wrote to document his conversations with President Donald Trump, CNN reported Monday.
An anonymous person familiar with the probe told CNN that Robert Mueller has been briefed on the contents of some of the memos. According to one that the New York Times surfaced last week, Trump allegedly asked Comey to end the FBI probe into his ousted National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who has come under scrutiny for failing to disclose foreign business dealings and contacts.
Another anonymous source told CNN that part of Mueller’s investigation will likely focus on obstruction of justice. Trump fired Comey two weeks ago and publicly divulged that his decision to do so was influenced in part by “this Russia thing.”
The Washington Post also reported Monday that both Trump and senior White House officials asked the director of national intelligence and of the NSA director to deny that there was any evidence of collusion between Russian operatives and his campaign staff, after Comey testified to Congress that this was a key part of the federal investigation.
The White House did not deny the Times story detailing Trump’s request to Comey, but told the Post it would “not confirm or deny unsubstantiated claims based on illegal leaks from anonymous individuals.”
Mueller is expected to meet with Comey in the coming days to discuss what the ousted FBI director can say in public testimony that he is expected to give after Memorial Day.
Two people familiar with Mueller’s probe told CNN he has already visited FBI headquarters in Langley, Virginia to meet the agents who have been working on the Russia case since last July.
with scores of participants
Assuming obstruction is a part of his charge, there is no reason why he wouldn’t get copies of all memos in DoJ position. He’s a part of the DoJ.
But here’s my concern:
The DoJ has long been of the opinion that they cannot indict a siting POTUS of anything. Only Congress through impeachment may ‘charge’ the POTUS. Once impeached and removed, POTUS is far game, but not before.
So, would Mueller take the position that DJT is not a target of his investigation?
What is also at issue is if a President can be indicted for crimes committed before he took office. The Constitution is not specific on that, which to me should mean all past acts are open game, especially since a felon can’t run for President.
The ideal scenario is to impeach and convict Trump first if possible. The he loses his pardon power. Yes, Pence could then pardon, but if some of these charges are money laundering and such, Pence pardoning would really hurt him if he ran in 2020 (Ford lost some support for his Nixon pardon, and it might have cost him the election in 1976).
Trump does have power to pardon now, even before any charges against anyone. But doing that would ensure he would be impeached and convicted.
Indeed, a very legally complex issue all around. But the closer to the 2018 midterm elections impeachment and trial are, the more of a chance we have of taking the House and Senate back.
The impression I had of the DoJ opinion, is that POTUS cannot be Federally indicted for anything by virtue of his office. Only after leaving office by resignation, expiration of term or removal thru impeachment.
But I think this is all academic. Mueller isn’t indicting a sitting POTUS for any crime; he will always defer to Congress via impeachment.
Unidicted co-conspirator is the most we can hope for.
And a GOP Congress isn’t impeaching a Republican for anything short of murdering someone on camera.
I like that angle.
If Trumps ratings tank big time, they will dump him. That will take some indictments if his people plus clear wrong doing on his part, but if they go low enough, they would love to dump him. They want President Pence. He can be controlled.