Donald Trump wants to end the investigation into claims his campaign colluded with Russia during the 2016 presidential race, and the president reportedly has his legal team investigating the possibility of pardoning those caught in the investigation — including Trump himself.
After an interview in which Trump revealed that he believed the investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller had crossed a line when looking into his personal finances, a new report claims the president is seeking ways to “limit or undercut” the Russia investigation. The Washington Post claimed that Trump is asking advisers about his powers to pardon aides or family members in connection with the probe.
The report claimed that Trump’s legal team is also compiling a list of Mueller’s alleged conflicts of interest, which could be used as grounds to remove Mueller from the investigation. It went on to claim that Trump was “fuming” about the Russia investigation in recent weeks and how it has extended into years of his finances, and especially angry at the prospect that Mueller could look into past tax returns.
“If you’re looking at Russian collusion, the president’s tax returns would be outside that investigation,” a close adviser to the president told the outlet.
Trump surrogates are already floating that strategy, with Newt Gingrich arguing in an interview with Sean Hannity that the Mueller investigation is rife with conflicts of interest.
. @newtgingrich : “The Mueller investigation has so many conflicts of interests, it’s almost an absurdity.” #Hannity pic.twitter.com/F4T8GZrTVX
— Fox News (@FoxNews) July 21, 2017
The report has led to some serious pushback, with even former Attorney General Eric Holder issuing a warning to Trump should he try to constrain Mueller.
Trump cannot define or constrain Mueller investigation. If he tries to do so this creates issues of constitutional and criminal dimension.
— Eric Holder (@EricHolder) July 21, 2017
One of the financial issues reportedly under investigation is Trump’s 2008 sale of a Palm Beach mansion to a Russian oligarch for $95 million, more than double what Trump had paid just two years prior. Trump’s personal attorney, Jay Sekulow, argued that this was out of bounds for Mueller to be investigating.
“They’re talking about real estate transactions in Palm Beach several years ago,” Sekulow said. “In our view, this is far outside the scope of a legitimate investigation.”
JUST IN: Trump’s lawyers looking to discredit Mueller as special counsel investigation heats up: report https://t.co/HVTiezZ3ou pic.twitter.com/nQbbCFXNQE
— The Hill (@thehill) July 21, 2017
Trump team seeks to control, block Mueller’s Russia investigation – The Washington Post #DemForce https://t.co/9KAi3xoLb6
— Cate #WomensRightsAreHumanRights (@lavndrblue) July 21, 2017
As he reportedly seeks ways to undercut the Russia investigation, Donald Trump could also be doing damage with his own words, Politico noted. In a New York Times interview published Wednesday, Trump openly said that he would not have hired Attorney General Jeff Sessions had he known that Sessions would recuse himself from the Russia investigation. Trump also appeared to issue a warning to Mueller to not expand the scope of the investigation into Trump or his family’s financial dealings.
That kind of candor could lead to problems for Donald Trump, Politico noted. Robert Bennett, a Washington lawyer who represented President Bill Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky scandal, told the outlet that Trump’s remarks were a “real mistake” and “totally counterproductive.”
[Featured Image by Alex Wong/Getty Images]
