FBI investigating 'smear scheme' against Russia probe chief
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is looking into alleged claims of sexual misconduct against special counsel Robert Mueller, which his office described as a scheme to discredit his credibility.
The scheme was uncovered after a woman, who claimed she worked for Mueller decades ago, told several news media outlets that she had been offered money to spread fake accusations about the Russia probe chief.
"When we learned last week of allegations that women were offered money to make false claims about the special counsel, we immediately referred the matter to the FBI for investigation," Mueller's spokesman Peter Carr said in a statement.
Mueller is investigating allegations that members of President Donald Trump's campaign team colluded with Russia to sway the 2016 election in his favor. Trump has vehemently denied any collusion with Russia, calling the probe a political witch hunt.
In her email to journalists, the woman said she worked as a paralegal at a law firm called Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro in the early 1970s. Mueller worked at the firm after he finished law school.
There is no evidence that the woman ever worked at the law firm with Mueller. A spokesman for Pillsbury told The Huffington Post that there was “no record of this individual working at our firm at any time.”
Meanwhile, Jack Burkman, a conservative radio host, announced plans to "unveil the first of the sex assault victims of Robert Mueller" on Thursday.
"The left is trying to defend Mueller against sex assault allegations so they attack me in desperation," said Burkman, who hosts a podcast on Newsmax TV, part of the Newsmax Media group led by Chris Ruddy, a close Trump confidant.
"The establishment media knows that Mueller may go down over this - they want to deflect attention," he said on Twitter.
The Russia probe has expanded to examine possible attempts by Trump himself to obstruct the course of investigation, which - if proven – could trigger impeachment proceedings against him in Congress.
So far, the investigation has resulted in 35 indictments and obtained six guilty pleas and one trial conviction.
News of the alleged smear scheme against Mueller came just one week before midterm congressional elections in which the Russia investigation casts a cloud over Trump’s Republican Party.
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