Special Counsel Robert Mueller recently subpoenaed the Trump Organization for any documents related to Russia and other topics he is investigating, according to a report in the New York Times.
The request occurred in “recent weeks,” according to the Times. It appears that Mueller is looking into whether foreign money had any role in President Trump’s political activities.
A lawyer representing the Trump Organization called the request “old news.”
“Since July 2017, we have advised the public that the Trump Organization is fully cooperative with all investigations, including the special counsel, and is responding to their requests,” Alan S. Futerfas told the Times. “This is old news and our assistance and cooperation with the various investigations remains the same today.”
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders also said Thursday that the president was cooperating with the inquiry and referred questions to the Trump Organization.
The Trump Organization has said it has never had real estate holdings in Russia. Witnesses recently interviewed by Mueller say they have been asked about a potential deal in Moscow.
In 2015, a business associate of Trump emailed his lawyer Michael Cohen claiming he had ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin and said building a Trump Tower in Moscow would help Trump’s presidential campaign.
Trump signed a nonbinding “letter of intent” for the project in 2015 and discussed it three times with Cohen, but it was never executed.
Trump has warned Mueller against looking into his finances beyond any relationship with Russia.
The subpoena comes as Trump’s lawyers are negotiating with Mueller on an interview with the president. According to the Times, Mueller’s office has shared topics it wants to discuss with the president.
Trump’s lawyers have advised him against an interview, but the president reportedly wants to do it, believing he has nothing to hide. Trump is reportedly considering whether to bring on an additional lawyer, Emmet Flood, who represented Bill Clinton during the impeachment process.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.