Tag: Russia investigation

FBI agents visited Steve Bannon’s home last week to discuss subpoena in Russia probe

The following article by Hallie Jackson, Kristen Welker and Julia Ainsley was posted on the NBC News website January 17, 2018:

FBI agents showed up at Steve Bannon’s Washington home last week intent on serving him with a subpoena to appear before a grand jury investigating possible ties between President Donald Trump’s campaign and Russia, according to a source familiar with the proceedings.

The agents were unaware at the time that Bannon had retained Washington lawyer William Burck just hours earlier, according to two people familiar with the events that took place on Jan. 9. Once redirected, the agents sent the order to Burck, who is also representing two other witnesses in the probe being led by special counsel Robert Mueller, a former director of the FBI. Continue reading “FBI agents visited Steve Bannon’s home last week to discuss subpoena in Russia probe”

Bannon Is Subpoenaed in Mueller’s Russia Investigation

The following article by Michael S. Schmidt was posted on the New York Times website January 16, 2018:

Stephen K. Bannon arrived to testify before the House Intelligence Committee during a closed-door session on Tuesday. Credit Joshua Roberts/Reuters

WASHINGTON — Stephen K. Bannon, President Trump’s former chief strategist, was subpoenaed last week by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, to testify before a grand jury as part of the investigation into possible links between Mr. Trump’s associates and Russia, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter.

The move marked the first time Mr. Mueller is known to have used a grand jury subpoena to seek information from a member of Mr. Trump’s inner circle. The special counsel’s office has used subpoenas before to seek information on Mr. Trump’s associates and their possible ties to Russia or other foreign governments. Continue reading “Bannon Is Subpoenaed in Mueller’s Russia Investigation”

Trump declines to say whether he would sit for interview with Mueller’s team

The following article by Josh Dawsy was posted on the Washington Post website January 10, 2018:

President Trump on Jan. 10 said that “we’ll see what happens” after a reporter asked if he’d agree to be interviewed by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III. (The Washington Post)

President Trump on Wednesday declined to say whether he would grant an interview to special counsel Robert S. Mueller III and his team, deflecting questions on the topic by saying there had been “no collusion” between his campaign and Russia during the 2016 presidential election.

“We’ll see what happens,” Trump said when asked directly about meeting with the special counsel. Continue reading “Trump declines to say whether he would sit for interview with Mueller’s team”

Everything I’ve Done Is 100 Percent Proper,’ Trump Says of Russia Inquiry

The following article by Michael Tackett was posted on the New York Times website January 6, 2018:

President Trump with top congressional Republicans and administration officials at Camp David on Saturday. Mr. Trump said that Republicans were looking at changes to the nation’s welfare laws, but that they would have to be done on a bipartisan basis. Credit Eric Thayer for The New York Times

WASHINGTON — President Trump again insisted on Saturday that he was not under investigation by Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel investigating Russian influence on the 2016 election, adding that “there’s been no collusion, there’s been no crime.”

“Everything I’ve done is 100 percent proper,” Mr. Trump said during a news conference at Camp David, where he was asked about a New York Times report that he had pressed Attorney General Jeff Sessions not to recuse himself from the Russia inquiry. “That is what I do, is I do things proper.” Continue reading “Everything I’ve Done Is 100 Percent Proper,’ Trump Says of Russia Inquiry”

House GOP intensifies assault on Mueller probe

The following article by Katie Bo WIlliams was posted on the Hill website January 6, 2018:

© Getty Images

House Republicans are intensifying a multipronged assault to chip away at special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the U.S. election.

A vocal group of conservative members has for weeks blitzed the airwaves decrying bias in Mueller’s investigation and on Thursday, two prominent members called for Attorney General Jeff Sessions to step down from the Department of Justice (DOJ) — a resignation that could clear the way for the special counsel’s dismissal.

On Wednesday, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), secured the backing of Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) to enforce a swath of subpoenas probing the Justice Department’s use of the so-called Steele dossier in the probe. Continue reading “House GOP intensifies assault on Mueller probe”

Multiple Trump officials pressed Sessions not to recuse self from Russia probe

The following article by Ken Dilanian was posted on the NBC News website January 5, 2018:

WASHINGTON — Donald Trump’s counsel and multiple other White House officials tried to talk Attorney General Jeff Sessions out of recusing himself from the Russia investigation, a senior U.S. official told NBC News, amid reports the effort was orchestrated by Trump himself.

In the weeks before Sessions recused himself from the probe in March, White House Counsel Don McGahn and other White House officials called him and urged him not to disqualify himself from running the probe, the senior official said. Continue reading “Multiple Trump officials pressed Sessions not to recuse self from Russia probe”

Nunes announces deal for FBI files, interviews

The following article by John Bowden was posted on the Hill website January 4, 2018:

© Greg Nash

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) said Thursday that he has reached a deal with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein for documents and interviews relating to FBI agents who were removed from special counsel Robert Mueller‘s team over anti-Trump text messages.

In a letter detailing an earlier conversation between the two men released by Nunes on Thursday night, the California Republican announced that the House Intelligence Committee will gain access to documents and text messages relating to agent Peter Strzok and his FBI colleague Lisa Page, as well as access to a number of FBI witnesses themselves, later in January. Continue reading “Nunes announces deal for FBI files, interviews”

Obstruction Inquiry Shows Trump’s Struggle to Keep Grip on Russia Investigation

The following article by Michael S. Schmidt was posted on the New York Times website January 4, 2018:

Jeff Sessions’s recusal from the Russia investigation has been a source of friction with President Trump. Credit Tom Brenner/The New York Times

WASHINGTON — President Trump gave firm instructions in March to the White House’s top lawyer: stop the attorney general, Jeff Sessions, from recusing himself in the Justice Department’s investigation into whether Mr. Trump’s associates had helped a Russian campaign to disrupt the 2016 election.

Public pressure was building for Mr. Sessions, who had been a senior member of the Trump campaign, to step aside. But the White House counsel, Donald F. McGahn II, carried out the president’s orders and lobbied Mr. Sessions to remain in charge of the inquiry, according to two people with knowledge of the episode. Continue reading “Obstruction Inquiry Shows Trump’s Struggle to Keep Grip on Russia Investigation”

Fusion GPS to Congress: Release our testimony

The following article by the Politico staff was posted on their website January 3, 2018:

The U.S. flag flies in front of the Capitol Dome, May 2017. Credit: AP/Susan Walsh.

The founders of Fusion GPS took to the pages of The New York Times to push back against Republicans who have attacked the firm over a dossier related to the Trump Russia investigation — and to urge that their testimony be released.

“We are happy to correct the record. In fact, we already have,” wrote Glenn R. Simpson and Peter Fritsch in an op-ed published Tuesday under the headline “The Republicans’ Fake Investigations.” Continue reading “Fusion GPS to Congress: Release our testimony”

Trump criticizes how Mueller obtained transition emails, says no plans to fire special counsel

The following article by Anne Gearan and Philip Rucker was posted on the Washington Post  website December 17, 2017:

President Trump spoke to reporters on Dec. 17 after special counsel Robert S. Mueller III obtained emails from President Trump’s transition team. (The Washington Post)

President Trump appeared to back the claims of a lawyer for his presidential transition team that special counsel Robert S. Mueller III improperly obtained Trump associates’ emails, saying Sunday that “a lot of lawyers thought that was pretty sad.”

Trump also said he has no plan to fire Mueller, who is investigating Russian interference in the presidential election, including the possibility of coordination with the Trump campaign. Mueller’s investigation has resulted in charges against two people and guilty pleas by two others, including former national security adviser Michael Flynn. Continue reading “Trump criticizes how Mueller obtained transition emails, says no plans to fire special counsel”