Lawyers for President Donald Trump have met numerous times over the course of recent months with Special Counsel Robert Mueller to plead their case for ending the Russia investigation, it was reported on Thursday.
Trump’s attorneys submitted a series of written memos to Mueller detailing why they believe the president did not obstruct justice when he fired James Comey as FBI director earlier this year, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The lawyers told Mueller they believe Comey was unreliable as a witness because he was prone to exaggeration and he has leaked information to the press.
Mueller is investigating whether Trump fired Comey in order to obstruct the federal investigation into alleged collusion between his campaign and the Russian government.
Lawyers for President Donald Trump (left) have met numerous times over the course of recent months with Special Counsel Robert Mueller (right) to plead their case for ending the Russia investigation
Trump’s lawyers have argued to Mueller that the president was within his constitutional right to dismiss Comey on May 9.
The Journal reported that Mueller agreed to accept the memos from Trump’s attorneys though there is no indication as to whether they succeeded in persuading the special counsel to shift course in his investigation.
The man who heads Trump’s legal team, John Down, told the Journal: ‘I just don’t think it’s appropriate to discuss my communications with Special Counsel Mueller. Why should I rupture a relationship with the special counsel?’
Not only does it appear that Mueller was not swayed by Trump’s lawyers, but signs are pointing to an investigation that is intensifying and growing in scope.
Trump’s attorneys submitted a series of written memos to Mueller detailing why they believe the president did not obstruct justice when he fired James Comey (above) as FBI director earlier this year
Mueller has enlisted the help of top investigative agents at the IRS, The Daily Beast reported on Thursday.
The special counsel has teamed up with the Criminal Investigations unit, a body made up of experts in financial crimes, including tax evasion and money laundering, it was reported.
Mueller´s team is working with New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman on its investigation into Trump’s former campaign manager Paul Manafort and his financial transactions, Politico reported Wednesday.
Citing unnamed people familiar with the matter, Politico reported Mueller’s team, which is investigating possible collusion between Trump’s campaign and Russia, and Schneiderman’s aides have shared evidence and talked frequently about a potential case in recent weeks.
The cooperation ‘could potentially provide Mueller with additional leverage to get Manafort to cooperate in the larger investigation into Trump´s campaign, as Trump does not have pardon power over state crimes,’ Politico’s Josh Dawsey pointed out.
A grand jury used by Mueller has also heard secret testimony from a Russian-American lobbyist who attended a June 2016 meeting with President Trump’s eldest son.
The Associated Press has learned that Rinat Akhmetshin appeared before Mr Mueller’s grand jury in recent weeks.
The revelation is the clearest indication yet that Mr Mueller and his team of investigators view the meeting, which came weeks after Mr Trump had secured the Republican presidential nomination, as a relevant inquiry point in their broader probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election.