Mueller obtained thousands of emails illegally, Trump allies say
▶ Accusation adds to friction between president’s supporters and Mr Mueller’s office
Members of US president Donald Trump’s transition team said that the special counsel investigating claims of Russian meddling in last year’s election had obtained tens of thousands of emails unlawfully.
Kory Langhofer, counsel to Trump for America, wrote to congressional committees to say Robert Mueller’s team improperly received the emails from the general services administration, a government agency.
Staff members at the agency “unlawfully produced TFA’s private materials, including privileged communications, to the special counsel’s office”, including “tens of thousands of emails”, Mr Langhofer said.
Mr Trump’s transition team used the agency’s facilities in the time between his November election victory and his inauguration in January.
The Trump team’s accusation adds to the growing friction between the president’s supporters and Mr Mueller’s office as it investigates whether Russia interfered in the election and if Mr Trump or anyone on his team colluded with Moscow.
“We continue to co-operate fully with the special counsel and expect this process to wrap up soon,” White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.
Mr Mueller’s office shrugged off the complaint.
“When we have obtained emails in the course of our ongoing criminal investigation, we have secured either the account owner’s consent or appropriate criminal process,” said Peter Carr, spokesman for the special counsel’s office.
The agency did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
Democrats say there is a wide-ranging effort by the president’s allies on Capitol Hill to discredit Mr Mueller’s investigation.
Mr Trump has declared his effort a waste of time.
“There is absolutely no collusion. That has been proven,” Mr Trump said on Friday.
Russia denies interfering in the election. Some Republicans have argued that Mr Mueller is biased against Mr Trump.
Mr Langhofer’s letter was sent to the US senate committee on homeland security and government affairs, and the US house committee on oversight and government reform.
The transition team included aides who were later caught up in Mr Mueller’s investigation, such as former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty this month to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia.