Robert Mueller isn’t playing. As the Trump team were engaged in tense discussions with the Special Counsel, they tried to claim that the president didn’t have to speak to Mueller, the Special Counsel replied that he could subpoena the president.
The Washington Post reported, “In a tense meeting in early March with the special counsel, President Trump’s lawyers insisted he had no obligation to talk with federal investigators probing Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential campaign. But special counsel Robert S. Mueller III responded that he had another option if Trump declined: He could issue a subpoena for the president to appear before a grand jury, according to four people familiar with the encounter.”
Trump is boxed in. If Trump doesn’t cooperate, he could be facing his administration’s worst nightmare. If Trump is subpoenaed, he will perjure himself at best. At worst, Trump could open the door to other avenues of criminal investigation. Trump blusters publicly about talking to Mueller, but the actions of his lawyers and the leak of the Mueller questions show that the president is laying the foundation for not talking to the special counsel.
Trump is trying to discredit Mueller by leaking the questions. Initially, the tactic has had the opposite impact. It has confirmed that Mueller wants to talk to Trump about collusion and obstruction of justice. This is a very focused investigation that is sticking in clear lanes. It isn’t a witch hunt or a fishing expedition. Mueller is looking at Trump for collusion with Russia, obstruction of justice, and who knows what else.
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If Mueller subpoenas Trump, Republicans are doomed.
Robert Mueller isn’t fooling around. If Trump continues to play games, this investigation is going to make him pay.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
