Posted on 11/08/2018 10:34:04 AM PST by yesthatjallen
Special counsel Robert Mueller's team has started writing its final report after a months-long investigation into possible ties between President Trump's presidential campaign and Russia, multiple sources told CNN on Thursday.
Trump began reviewing his answers to Mueller's questions as he prepared to request Attorney General Jeff Sessions's resignation, CNN reported.
A source familiar with the matter told CNN that they believe the Trump legal team will continue to approach Mueller's questions the same way, despite the shakeup in leadership at the Justice Department.
Trump agreed to answer written questions from the special counsel, but the two teams have not settled negotiations over a possible in-person interview, according to CNN. Trump's legal team and attorneys representing witnesses in the investigation say Trump's responses to the special counsel could point to the imminent conclusion of Mueller's 18-month probe, the network reported.
The special counsel's office declined to comment to The Hill.
Mueller reportedly was expected to release his findings related to key aspects of his investigation into Russian election interference in 2016 after Tuesday's midterm elections.
Shortly after Sessions's ousting, Trump named Matthew Whitaker as acting attorney general, sparking concerns among Democrats that the president could be seeking to undermine Mueller's probe.
Whitaker, who has publicly criticized Mueller's probe and defended Trump — including in op-eds to CNN and The Hill — will oversee Mueller's investigation.
Top Democratic leaders, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), have called on Whitaker to recuse himself from oversight over his public comments criticizing the special counsel.
"Given his record of threats to undermine & weaken the Russia investigation, Matthew Whitaker should recuse himself from any involvement in Mueller’s investigation," Pelosi said. "Congress must take immediate action to protect the rule of law and integrity of the investigation. #FollowTheFacts."
Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday called for an emergency hearing following Sessions's resignation.
Committee Democrats sent letters to the panel's GOP chairman and Whitaker, pressing them on how the shakeup at the highest levels of the Justice Department will impact Mueller's investigation.
Whitaker, in an op-ed for The Hill last year, criticized the idea of a special counsel, dismissing the call for an independent counsel as partisan.
"Calls for an independent counsel or commission to investigate allegations that Russia tried to interfere with our elections ring hollow when similar calls for special counsels during the scandals of the Obama administration were dismissed out of hand by the same people making these demands now," Whitaker wrote at the time.
He better write quickly. His days are numbered.
NEVER read anything that starts out “According to CNN!”
Are they serious?
STARTED writing it? I imagine they had the conclusions drafted a couple years ago. By now, they should be just refining and creatively wording some things.
Under the eyes of the new AG.
Total Freak Show.
I caught that too. Are they trying to downplay the breadth, depth and cost of this “years-long” investigation?
That's how Comey approached the Hillary email server investigation. He had the conclusion written before he even interviewed sHrillary.
Good.
Goes to the House. Impeachment article(s) passed.
Goes to the Senate...
Done.
5.56mm
How does the House Judiciary Committee have oversight that would position them to call for a hearing of the AG resignation?
They probably did but couldn’t find evidence to support it.
“A source familiar with the matter told CNN”
Who?
Yep, they’re scared. The Freaks are Freaking out.
It just took a little prodding.
Like, “You’re next!”
I had a full report but the dog ate it..?
How convenient.
The period for endless narrative pushing and headline generation has ended, so might as well say “I’m nearly done anyway!”
The whole “Russian Collusion” political exercise is coming to a visibly pathetic, manufactured and threadbare conclusion.
The R’s had better hustle before the Rats take over the House committees.
Yeah, that jumped out at me too.
I’d bet that his team of leftist lawyers are spending more time job hunting than working.
With all the new democrats coming into DC (DirtCity) in January there should be a healthy demand for crooked democrat ambulance chasers.
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