Robert Mueller, the special counsel appointed to investigate Russian interference into the 2016 election and if there was any collusion by President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, has impaneled a grand jury in the case, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.
Meanwhile, CNN reported that investigators are looking at possible financial crimes as they examine Trump and his associates’ monetary ties to Russia. In an interview with the New York Times on July 19, Trump had warned that if Mueller was to probe his financial transactions, it would be a “violation” of the role of a special prosecutor and he agreed that it would be crossing a “red line.”
The White House issued a statement from Trump attorney Ty Cobb saying that they are committed to “fully cooperating” with Mueller.
“The White House favors anything that accelerates the conclusion of his work fairly,” Cobb said. He said that he isn’t aware that a grand jury had been convened.
Prosecutors convene grand juries to hear testimony and seek subpoenas, and to pursue indictments. It was unclear what Mueller’s rationale was for convening a grand jury at this point.
But Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) told CNN, “This is what progress looks like in a criminal probe.”
(Published by Variety - August 3, 2017)