Robert Mueller in Washington, DC, on June 21.
Joshua Roberts / Reuters
The first charges stemming from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election were reportedly filed on Friday, marking the most significant development yet in the inquiry that began last year.
The charges approved by a federal grand jury in Washington, DC, remained sealed Friday evening, meaning it was not immediately known what they entailed or who they were against, CNN reported, citing sources briefed on the matter. The people facing charges, it said, could be taken into custody as early as Monday. Reuters later confirmed the report.
Asked about the reports of a grand jury indictment, John Dowd, a lawyer representing Trump in the probes, told BuzzFeed News in an email that he had no information.
"Know nothing," he wrote.
A spokesperson for Mueller told BuzzFeed News Friday late night that "we are declining to comment on the CNN story."
Lawyers representing Donald Trump Jr., former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner did not respond to BuzzFeed News requests for comment.
The investigation, which began last year, is seeking to determine Russia's involvement in the 2016 presidential election, as well as if anyone in Trump's campaign colluded with the Kremlin. Former FBI Director James Comey led the investigation until Trump fired him in May amid significant controversy.
After Comey's ouster, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Mueller to lead the investigation. By June, Trump himself was reportedly under investigation for obstruction of justice.
In July, FBI agents reportedly raided the home of Manafort. During the raid, investigators served a no-knock search warrant and seized material related to the Russian investigation, the Washington Post reported.
Fox News reported that Manafort's attorneys said he hadn't been told he had been indicted Friday night.
Later this summer, Mueller convened a federal grand jury in Washington, DC, in the case. The grand jury then reportedly issued subpoenas about a 2016 meeting between Trump Jr., Kushner, Manafort, and a Russian lawyer.
In recent weeks, Mueller's team has also interviewed a number of current and past White House officials, including former press secretary Sean Spicer and former chief of staff Reince Preibus.
US intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia did in fact work to influence the election. In a report, intelligence officials said Russian President Vladimir Putin was responsible for his country's attacks on the US election. The report also stated that the Russians worked to both undermine Hillary Clinton and help Trump.
Trump has denied both any wrongdoing by his campaign and any ties to Russia, calling the investigation a "witch hunt."
LINK: Here's How A Grand Jury Works
LINK: Welp, A Grand Jury Has Been Convened In The Russia Investigation
LINK: Trump’s Son In Crosshairs Of Special Counsel Mueller
LINK: President Trump Has Fired FBI Director James Comey
from BuzzFeed - USNews http://ift.tt/2iFYnuz
No comments:
Post a Comment