Sum-Up: Here's What Happened in the Trump-Russia Probes This Week
Will Trump sit for an interview with the special counsel? And, if he does, when will it happen? Those were the biggest questions for reporters following the Trump-Russia probe this week. Trump’s lawyers are advising him against talking to Bob Mueller out of fear that he’ll perjure himself, but a refusal to do so could set up a protracted legal showdown that history suggests would likely end with the President being forced to testify. Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon is expected to be interviewed by Mueller’s team next week. Attorneys for indicted Trump campaign aide Rick Gates, meanwhile, are seeking to withdraw their representation, citing “irreconcilable differences.”
On the congressional side, there’s rising tension in the House Intelligence Committee, with Chairman Devin Nunes (R-CA) reportedly hatching plans to construct a physical wall this spring to separate Democratic and Republican staffers. The Office of Congressional Ethics has been asked to investigate the committee’s GOP staffers over leaks; if the office determines the matter warrants further review, it will refer it to the House Committee on Ethics, which would eventually compile a public report.
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