Russia probe grinds on despite Trump protests
While President Donald Trump spent the past two weeks using Twitter to vent his frustration about the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 elections and possible ties to his campaign for the White House, the evidence in recent days is that the investigation is not end- ing anytime soon. And it’s still not clear if the president will answer questions from Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
“There’s no fairness here,” the president tweeted, argu- ing “if you’re a Democrat or a friend of Hillary you get immunity or off scott free.”
“If you’re connected to Donald Trump, you get peo- ple like Robert Mueller & Andrew Weissman, and his team of partisans, coming after you with a vengeance,” the president wrote.
At this point, all signs seem to point to an active September:
A second trial for Paul Manafort. After being found guilty on eight of 18 counts of tax and bank fraud – the other 10 ended with a hung jury, courtesy of a single holdout juror — the pres- ident’s former campaign manager faces a second trial in Washington, D.C. later this month.
Last week, a federal judge delayed the start of the trial for a week until Sept. 24. This case deals with money laundering. Manafort is accused of failing to register as a foreign agent when working for a political party in Ukraine that was backed by Russia. Manafort’s lawyers have asked for this trial to be moved to southwestern Virginia.
In an interview with reporters from Bloomberg News last week, Trump rat- dow or not? There has been cheted up his criticism of plenty of talk in recent days Mueller to new heights. about whether the Mueller
“I view it as an illegal probe will try to get someinvestigation,” the presithing big out this week, dent told reporters, as he or hold off until after the again argued that the Justice November mid-term elecDepartment should never tions. have appointed Mueller in There is no written rule the first place. This matter which says that, but it’s has already been litigated in sort of one of those interthe courts, as various fednal understandings, that eral judges have brushed you shouldn’t take actions aside such legal challenges, within the 60-day window ruling that Deputy Attorney before an election, because General Rod Rosenstein’s it could impact the outcome appointment of Mueller is of that election. One could on rock-solid legal ground argue that if the 60-day rule — except with the president was hard and fast, then and some of his most ardent Manafort’s trial would not supporters. be starting in late Septem
Is there a 60-day win- ber.