Special counsel Robert Mueller’s team met with former MI6 officer Christopher Steele, the author of a controversial dossier alleging ties between President Donald Trump and Russia, earlier this year, CNN reported late Thursday.
CNN reported, citing two unnamed sources familiar with the matter, that investigators on Mueller’s team met with Steele this summer.
The FBI and CIA omitted the dossier from a report on Russian interference in the 2016 election that they released to the public in January, according to CNN, to avoid disclosing which allegations they had corroborated and potentially compromising methods and sources, including some from foreign intelligence services.
Reuters on Wednesday reported that Mueller had taken over the FBI investigation into the dossier.
Senate Intel Committee Chair Richard Burr (R-NC) on Wednesday made a personal appeal to Steele to cooperate with the Senate panel’s investigation.
“My hope is that Mr. Steele will make a decision to meet with with Mark and I, or the committee or both, so we can hear his side of it versus for us to depict in our findings what his intent or what his actions were,” Burr told reporters, referring to ranking member Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA). “I say that to you but also say it to Chris Steele.”
While the more salacious claims included in the dossier remain unverified, a number of the allegations Steele included in the document have been reinforced as new information comes to light.
