News / Politics

Trump lawyers see 'expeditious' end to Russia probe

Tuesday, 26 December 2017 6:53 AM [ Last Update: Sunday, 31 December 2017 4:56 AM ]

US President Donald J. Trump speaks to the media before participating in video teleconference calls with military members on Christmas Eve in Palm Beach, Florida on December 24, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

US President Donald Trump's lawyers have claimed that a central part of the probe into the alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election will conclude quickly.

Trump’s lawyer Jay Sekulow told The Wall Street Journal on Monday that the parts of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation involving the president would wrap up soon.

"I know we, collectively, the lawyers, are looking forward to an expeditious wrapping up of this matter," Sekulow told the Journal.

Mueller was appointed to investigate possible collusion between the Trump’s 2016 election campaign and the Russian government after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey in May this year.

There has been speculation that Trump is planning to fire Mueller after he reportedly obtained "many tens of thousands" of private emails from his transition team, as part of the investigation into alleged collusion with Russia. Trump, however, has said he will not fire Mueller.

Mueller is reportedly using the trove to confirm existing information and open up new leads in his widening inquiry.

The emails include conversations about sensitive topics, such as policy planning, potential appointments and the political views of senators involved in the confirmation process.

A lawyer for Trump’s transition team, Kory Langhofer, claimed Mueller has obtained the emails unlawfully.

The emails in question could shed light on critical events during the transition period last year, which have now become the focus of the Russia investigation.

Some of the emails belong to Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law who is now his senior adviser.

PressTV-Kushner worried Mueller will 'get' Trump

The White House senior adviser is reportedly concerned that Special Counsel Robert Mueller will eventually “get” the US president as part of the Russia inquiry.

Mueller's team has so far brought charges against four individuals in the Russia probe, including two former top aides of the president -- former national security adviser and close confidant Michael Flynn and Trump's one-time campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

Flynn pleaded guilty on December 1 to lying to the FBI. He made a deal to cooperate with the FBI examining allegations of collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow during the 2016 election.

Experts have said it is not likely that Mueller’s inquiry will end anytime soon, given the scope of the investigation that has targeted top officials at the White House.

“Flynn is cooperating, and that cooperation is likely to lead to further subjects or targets of the investigation . . . . If this wraps up by the end of 2018, I’d be amazed,” said Stephen Gillers, professor of legal ethics at New York University.

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