Mueller ‘faces sack’ if he brings Trump’s tax into Russia inquiry
DONALD TRUMP’S allies fear the man leading the investigation into Russia’s role in the 2016 presidential election is zoning in on the president’s tax returns and say he could be sacked as a result.
Close former advisers to Mr Trump have told The Daily Telegraph they believe Robert Mueller, the special counsel heading the Russia inquiry, wants access to his tax information. Some believe Mr Mueller already has Mr Trump’s returns and is using them to investigate his personal business dealings before becoming president.
The documents would likely detail who Mr Trump gives money to, where his bank accounts are held, where he invests and whether he has any debt. That information could be used to order organisations with financial ties to Mr Trump to hand over relevant documents. Mr Trump became the first major presidential candidate for decades not to publish his tax returns during the 2016 campaign.
The president has previously agreed that Mr Mueller, a former head of the FBI, would be crossing a “red line” if he investigated his family finances. It has led to concerns that Mr Trump could sack Mr Mueller if he believes the special counsel has obtained his returns.
One top former Trump adviser told The Daily Telegraph: “Mueller will go for Trump’s tax returns and that is when he gets fired.” Another said: “If the special counsel is subpoenaing Trump Organization documents, surely he’s already got the president’s tax records from the IRS [Internal Revenue Service]?”
Getting tax returns is a regular part of white-collar crime investigations, according to legal experts. They are a useful tool for understanding which organisations an individual is tied to financially. Those bodies in turn can have their documents subpoenaed. It is understood Mr Mueller would not necessarily have to notify the president before seeing his tax returns and could work directly with the IRS to get access.
There have been growing signs in recent weeks that Mr Mueller, who is looking at Russian election meddling in its entirety, is interested in Mr Trump’s business past. The Trump Organization, the president’s family firm now run by his sons, has reportedly received a legal request to hand over documents to the investigation.
Trump sources also believe that a number of the questions forwarded by Mr Mueller to Mr Trump’s legal team ahead of their much-anticipated interview were about his business activity.
The developments come at a time when the president’s legal team is in flux. His lead lawyer dealing with the special counsel, John Dowd, quit in March amid reported disagreements in approach. Another lawyer, Joseph digenova, lasted just days in Mr Trump’s team before parting ways. Other top Washington attorneys have rebuffed approaches to work for the president.
Mr Trump’s lack of lawyers, just as the Russia investigation enters a critical phase, has spooked allies who fear the president has underestimated what he is up against. One former adviser told this newspaper he was recently urged to make finding the president a new stellar lawyer his highest priority amid fears Mr Trump is overexposed.
Mr Trump cannot fire Mr Mueller directly but he could order Rod Rosenstein, the US deputy attorney general overseeing the Russia probe, to do so.
Mr Trump’s hostility towards Mr Mueller, whom he has recently begun attacking by name in tweets, also appears to be on the rise. The New York Times reported that Mr Trump ordered the firing of Mr Mueller last June but backed down after the White House counsel threatened to resign.
Leading Republicans, including Lindsey Graham the senator for South Carolina, have suggested that the president would be impeached if he were to fire Mr Mueller.
Before announcing his campaign, Mr Trump said he would “absolutely” release his tax returns if he ran for the presidency. During the race he refused to, saying they were undergoing an “audit” and would be released once done. They have yet to be made public.