He has said he is ‘looking forward’ to talking with special counsel Robert Mueller, but now President Trump’s lawyers are trying to leverage a sit-down to negotiate an end to the sprawling Russia probe.
Trump’s lawyers have been negotiating for weeks with special counsel Robert Mueller, whose investigators want Trump to sit for an interview.
The president has indicated a willingness to cooperate, despite conflicting accounts on whether it is a shrewd move for Trump, who has a history of making false statements and exaggerations in court depositions, to go on record with investigators.
Now, Trump’s lawyers are trying to leverage his participation in hopes of securing a commitment to wrap up the investigation, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Trump is considering a sit-down in exchange for ‘multiple’ considerations, according to the report.
President Donald Trump’s lawyers have been negotiating for weeks with special counsel Robert Mueller, whose investigators want Trump to sit for an interview
One is to secure an end date for the Russia probe –at least the part dealing with Trump – which has led to a series of guilty pleas and a flood of damaging headlines about ties between former Trump officials and Russia, as well as financial misdeeds and lying to investigators.
Another is to suggest a deadline for an end of the probe at 60 days after the interview.
Mueller’s appointment as special counsel includes no such end-date, and the latest administration budget gives his office $10 million a year to keep digging.
Another effort is to try to secure agreements on the scope of the questioning.
The lawyers expect questioning to focus on Trump’s decision to fire FBI Director James Comey and national security advisor Mike Flynn.
WILL THERE AT LEAST BE DIET COKE? Trump’s lawyers are trying to extract concessions from special counsel Robert Mueller for the Russia probe, including getting him agree to put an end-date on his Trump-related inquiries
But recent press reports have indicated prosecutors also are interested in financial dealings of Trump family members and associates. Trump has repeatedly denied ‘collusion’ with the Russians, but prosecutors also could be assembling a case of obstruction of justice.
Former Trump deputy campaign manager Rick Gates, a longtime deputy to Paul Manafort, pleaded guilty to two criminal charges and now is cooperating with authorities, having agreed to turn over documents.
Trump has repeatedly branded the probe a ‘witch hunt.’
He tweeted in January: ‘On and on it goes. Russia & the world is laughing at the stupidity they are witnessing.”
White House lawyer Ty Cobb has given repeated assurances about when the Mueller probe will end
Trump got caught making a series of exaggerations in a deposition related to a legal battle with an author
But he also told reporters in January about testifying: ‘I’m looking forward to it, actually.’ He added, speaking to an interview with Mueller: “I would do it under oath.”
Flynn, and former campaign advisor George Papadopoulos both pleaded guilty to lying to investigators.
Mueller also has indicted 13 Russians for a scheme to inject misinformation into the 2016 presidential elections.