Trump sent Mueller private notes
Lawyer says president appreciates work done by investigator and wants to be constructive
President Trump has publicly called the widening federal investigation into Russia’s alleged election meddling a “witch hunt,” but through his lawyer, he has sent private messages of “appreciation” to special counsel Robert Mueller.
“He appreciates what Bob Mueller is doing,” Trump’s chief counsel, John Dowd, told USA TODAY in an interview Tuesday. “He asked me to share that with him, and that’s what I’ve done.”
Trump’s legal team has been in contact with Mueller’s office, and Dowd said he passed along the president’s messages expressing “appreciation and greetings” to the special counsel.
“The president has sent messages back and forth,” Dowd said, declining to elaborate further.
Trump has come under fire for his contacts with FBI Director James Comey, whom he fired in May because of his handling of the Russia matter. In a break with long- standing precedent to avoid even the appearance of influencing the non- political law enforcement agency’s investigations, Trump spoke privately with Comey on several occasions.
In those conversations, Comey said, Trump tried to convince him to drop parts of the Russia investigation and asked for a pledge of loyalty — accounts that not only led to the appointment of a special counsel but also an expansion of the probe to include possible obstruction of justice.
Dowd said all communication with Mueller has been proper.
“We get along well with Bob Mueller; our communications have been constructive,” the attorney said. “But it is important that our communications remain confidential. It’s important that there not be any breakdown in that trust.”
For weeks, Washington political circles have been alert for the possibility the president could try to get rid of Mueller or wrest control of the Russia inquiry he denounces as a “hoax.” Yet officials have moved to tamp down talk of ousting Mueller.
“That’s never been on the table, never,” Dowd said of the possibility Trump might try to remove the special counsel. “It’s a manifestation of the media. My dealings with Bob Mueller have always been cordial, respectful — the way it should be.”
Trump and his aides have been highly critical of Mueller and his investigation into possible collusion between Trump associates and Russians suspected of seeking to influence the presidential election. Trump said he hasn’t done anything wrong so Mueller’s job is unnecessary, and he accused the former FBI director of unspecified conflicts of interest.
Lawmakers, including Republicans, started sounding the alarm about Mueller after days of concerted attacks by the president against Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The unusual public criticism of a Cabinet official who was one of Trump’s earliest supporters — months after his recusal from the Russia investigation— raised questions about whether the president was trying to get Sessions to quit or would fire him. Trump cannot fire Mueller directly, but he can fire Sessions, and a new, more pliable attorney general— without conflicts in the Russia investigation — could oust the special counsel. Sessions has refused to resign, and Trump hasn’t moved to fire him.
Senators from both parties introduced legislation that would make it harder for the president to dismiss Mueller. A pair of pending proposals would require judges to review any presidential firing and force the president to provide specific legal reasons for taking such action.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R- S. C., said last month that any move against Mueller could be “the beginning of the end of the Trump presidency.”
Sen. Thom Tillis, R- N. C., who sponsors one of the proposals designed to protect special counsels, said, “A backend judicial review process to prevent unmerited removals of special counsels not only helps to ensure their investigatory independence but also reaffirms our nation’s system of checks and balances.”
A recent poll of battleground districts indicated that firing Mueller would be unpopular with voters.
Mueller supervises an inquiry that focuses on suspected Russian efforts to influence the 2016 election through fake news and the hacking of political organizations and Democrats close to nominee Hillary Clinton.
The wide- ranging inquiry includes a meeting in June 2016 at Trump Tower where the president’s eldest son, Donald Jr., hosted a Kremlin- linked attorney who he believed had damaging information on Clinton.
Trump Jr. was told the information would be provided by the Russian government. Trump’s son- in- law Jared Kushner and then- campaign chairman Paul Manafort attended the meeting.
Trump Jr. and the Russian attorney said no information about Clinton was provided at the meeting.
The special counsel’s team is reviewing financial transactions involving campaign officials.
Trump and his aides complained that some of Mueller’s staff members have given political contributions to Democrats. Trump objected to the idea of Mueller investigating his personal finances.
“I think that’s a violation,” he told The New York Times. “Look, this is about Russia.”
This has not deterred Mueller, who uses at least two grand juries — in Virginia and Washington — to advance the investigation.
The use of the grand jury in Washington, which was disclosed last week, could mean investigators are examining activities that happened within that jurisdiction. Those actions might include national security adviser Michael Flynn’s pre- inaugural contacts with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. Flynn resigned in February after it was revealed that he misled Vice President Pence about his contacts with Kislyak.
After his appointment in May, Mueller took control of a federal grand jury in Alexandria, Va., that was examining Flynn’s lobbying business involving Turkey.
Though Trump and some of his aides have criticized Mueller and his operation, they said there is no sign that the president himself is under investigation.
Dowd said he knew of no immediate request for Trump’s testimony, and he declined to comment on any request for documents related to the president.
“That’s never been on the table, never. It’s a manifestation of the media. My dealings with Bob Mueller have always been cordial, respectful — the way it should be.” John Dowd, President Trump’s chief counsel