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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Trump-Russia: Republicans trying to kill off investigation, says Adam Schiff | Trump-Russia: Republicans trying to kill off investigation, says Adam Schiff |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Top Democrat says move against House inquiry is a ploy to damage Mueller-FBI investigation, while Trump declines to rule out pardoning Michael Flynn | |
| Pádraig Collins and agencies | |
| Sat 16 Dec 2017 10.35 GMT | |
| First published on Sat 16 Dec 2017 03.29 GMT | |
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| The senior Democrat in a congressional Trump-Russia investigation has said he fears Republicans are manoeuvring to kill off inquiries into Moscow’s interference in the 2016 US presidential election. | The senior Democrat in a congressional Trump-Russia investigation has said he fears Republicans are manoeuvring to kill off inquiries into Moscow’s interference in the 2016 US presidential election. |
| “I’m increasingly worried Republicans will shut down the House intelligence committee investigation at the end of the month,” said Adam Schiff, who is the leading Democrat on the House intelligence committee. | “I’m increasingly worried Republicans will shut down the House intelligence committee investigation at the end of the month,” said Adam Schiff, who is the leading Democrat on the House intelligence committee. |
| The investigation into Trump and his team appears to encompass allegations of collusion, obstruction of justice, abuse of power and charges specific to Trump aides and former aides. | The investigation into Trump and his team appears to encompass allegations of collusion, obstruction of justice, abuse of power and charges specific to Trump aides and former aides. |
| Any case along these lines against the president would be historic. Both of the presidents to face impeachment proceedings in the past century, Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon, faced obstruction of justice and abuse of power charges. | Any case along these lines against the president would be historic. Both of the presidents to face impeachment proceedings in the past century, Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon, faced obstruction of justice and abuse of power charges. |
| It's important to note that the work of the special counsel is secret, and the public has no way of knowing for certain what charges prosecutors may be weighing against the Trump team or, in what would be an extraordinary development, against the president himself. | It's important to note that the work of the special counsel is secret, and the public has no way of knowing for certain what charges prosecutors may be weighing against the Trump team or, in what would be an extraordinary development, against the president himself. |
| Mueller is authorized to investigate "any links and/or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump" and related matters. In other words, potential collusion during the 2016 election. | Mueller is authorized to investigate "any links and/or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump" and related matters. In other words, potential collusion during the 2016 election. |
| But so-called “collusion” is only part of it. The special counsel has the broad authority to build a prosecution wherever the inquiry may lead. The investigation has already resulted in charges against former Trump aides such as tax fraud that do not relate directly to election activity. | But so-called “collusion” is only part of it. The special counsel has the broad authority to build a prosecution wherever the inquiry may lead. The investigation has already resulted in charges against former Trump aides such as tax fraud that do not relate directly to election activity. |
| In the course of the investigation, Trump's past business practices have also come under scrutiny. With his first indictments of people in Trump's orbit, the special counsel has demonstrated an appetite for the prosecution of alleged white-collar crimes. The president has denied all wrongdoing. | In the course of the investigation, Trump's past business practices have also come under scrutiny. With his first indictments of people in Trump's orbit, the special counsel has demonstrated an appetite for the prosecution of alleged white-collar crimes. The president has denied all wrongdoing. |
| Schiff suggested Republicans also had their sights on the FBI’s Trump-Russia investigation overseen by special counsel Robert Mueller. The president’s personal lawyers are reportedly set to meet Mueller and his team within days to ask about the next steps in his investigation. | Schiff suggested Republicans also had their sights on the FBI’s Trump-Russia investigation overseen by special counsel Robert Mueller. The president’s personal lawyers are reportedly set to meet Mueller and his team within days to ask about the next steps in his investigation. |
| “Beyond our investigation, here’s what has me really concerned: the attacks on [Robert] Mueller, the DoJ [the Department of Justice] and FBI this week make it clear they plan to go after Mueller’s investigation,” Schiff said. | “Beyond our investigation, here’s what has me really concerned: the attacks on [Robert] Mueller, the DoJ [the Department of Justice] and FBI this week make it clear they plan to go after Mueller’s investigation,” Schiff said. |
| “By shutting down the congressional investigations when they continue to discover new and important evidence, the White House can exert tremendous pressure to end or curtail [Robert] Mueller’s investigation or cast doubt on it. We cannot let that happen.” | “By shutting down the congressional investigations when they continue to discover new and important evidence, the White House can exert tremendous pressure to end or curtail [Robert] Mueller’s investigation or cast doubt on it. We cannot let that happen.” |
| So far the FBI’s investigation into Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election has ensnared at least four members of the Trump campaign’s inner circle. Mueller is under no obligation to provide information to Trump’s lawyers when they meet, CNN has reported. | So far the FBI’s investigation into Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election has ensnared at least four members of the Trump campaign’s inner circle. Mueller is under no obligation to provide information to Trump’s lawyers when they meet, CNN has reported. |
| Britain’s spy agency GCHQ becomes aware of suspicious “interactions” between people with Trump ties and Russian intelligence operatives. In late 2015, GCHQ warns US intelligence. | Britain’s spy agency GCHQ becomes aware of suspicious “interactions” between people with Trump ties and Russian intelligence operatives. In late 2015, GCHQ warns US intelligence. |
| The first phishing emails begin to hit Democratic individuals (the Democratic National Committee having been hacked months earlier). Hundreds or thousands of impostor accounts appear on Facebook, Twitter and other social media. | The first phishing emails begin to hit Democratic individuals (the Democratic National Committee having been hacked months earlier). Hundreds or thousands of impostor accounts appear on Facebook, Twitter and other social media. |
| Trump is told about the Russian contacts of at least one aide, and Jeff Sessions shoots down a possible Trump-Putin meeting, according to multiple people present. Later Trump and Sessions repeatedly deny there had ever been such contacts by anyone in the campaign with Russian operatives. | Trump is told about the Russian contacts of at least one aide, and Jeff Sessions shoots down a possible Trump-Putin meeting, according to multiple people present. Later Trump and Sessions repeatedly deny there had ever been such contacts by anyone in the campaign with Russian operatives. |
| Top Trump campaign advisers including Donald Trump Jr meet at Trump Tower with Russian operatives, having been promised "official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary." A Russian present says sanctions were discussed. | Top Trump campaign advisers including Donald Trump Jr meet at Trump Tower with Russian operatives, having been promised "official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary." A Russian present says sanctions were discussed. |
| The convention convenes in Cleveland, Ohio. Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak attends. Top Trump campaign aides vociferously deny contacts with Russian operatives. WikiLeaks releases 44,000 emails from the Democratic National Committee. | The convention convenes in Cleveland, Ohio. Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak attends. Top Trump campaign aides vociferously deny contacts with Russian operatives. WikiLeaks releases 44,000 emails from the Democratic National Committee. |
| Across the Fall, outlets including WikiLeaks, Guccifer 2.0 and DCLeaks publish tens of thousands of emails stolen from Democrats and the Hillary Clinton campaign. | Across the Fall, outlets including WikiLeaks, Guccifer 2.0 and DCLeaks publish tens of thousands of emails stolen from Democrats and the Hillary Clinton campaign. |
| As Russian impostor accounts spread divisive propaganda throughout social media over the Fall, the Trump campaign experiments aggressively with micro-targeting on Facebook, making on an "average day" 50,000-60,000 ads, according to former digital director Brad Parscale | As Russian impostor accounts spread divisive propaganda throughout social media over the Fall, the Trump campaign experiments aggressively with micro-targeting on Facebook, making on an "average day" 50,000-60,000 ads, according to former digital director Brad Parscale |
| Top Trump campaign aides Michael Flynn, Jared Kushner and others have dozens of contacts with Russian operatives that are repeatedly denied in public across the Fall. "It never happened," a campaign spokeswoman said two days after the election. “There was no communication between the campaign and any foreign entity during the campaign." | Top Trump campaign aides Michael Flynn, Jared Kushner and others have dozens of contacts with Russian operatives that are repeatedly denied in public across the Fall. "It never happened," a campaign spokeswoman said two days after the election. “There was no communication between the campaign and any foreign entity during the campaign." |
| Donald Trump is elected president of the United States. | Donald Trump is elected president of the United States. |
| Trump aides keep up contacts with Russian operatives on matters of policy and appear to hide those conversations from the US government and public. Michael Flynn lied to the FBI about the conversations, then later admitted that Jared Kushner had directed him to seek certain policy commitments from the Russian ambassador. | Trump aides keep up contacts with Russian operatives on matters of policy and appear to hide those conversations from the US government and public. Michael Flynn lied to the FBI about the conversations, then later admitted that Jared Kushner had directed him to seek certain policy commitments from the Russian ambassador. |
| Trump fires the FBI director. “When I decided to just do it, I said to myself, I said 'you know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story'," Trump tells an interviewer two days later. | Trump fires the FBI director. “When I decided to just do it, I said to myself, I said 'you know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story'," Trump tells an interviewer two days later. |
| As Schiff was giving his warning, Trump again lashed out at the FBI inquiry into possible collusion between Moscow and his campaign, and declined to rule out pardoning former aide Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying about his contacts with Russia. | As Schiff was giving his warning, Trump again lashed out at the FBI inquiry into possible collusion between Moscow and his campaign, and declined to rule out pardoning former aide Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying about his contacts with Russia. |
| Trump denied there was any collusion with Russia, saying it was “a Democrat hoax”. He said it was too early to discuss any pardon for Flynn, his former national security adviser. | Trump denied there was any collusion with Russia, saying it was “a Democrat hoax”. He said it was too early to discuss any pardon for Flynn, his former national security adviser. |
| “I don’t want to talk about pardons for Michael Flynn yet,” Trump said before leaving the White House to give remarks at a graduation ceremony at the FBI’s academy in Quantico, Virginia. | “I don’t want to talk about pardons for Michael Flynn yet,” Trump said before leaving the White House to give remarks at a graduation ceremony at the FBI’s academy in Quantico, Virginia. |
| “I can say this – when you look at what’s gone on with the FBI and with the justice department, people are very, very angry,” he said. | “I can say this – when you look at what’s gone on with the FBI and with the justice department, people are very, very angry,” he said. |
| “When everybody – not me, when everybody – the level of anger at what they’ve been witnessing with respect to the FBI is certainly very sad.” | “When everybody – not me, when everybody – the level of anger at what they’ve been witnessing with respect to the FBI is certainly very sad.” |
| US intelligence agencies have concluded that Russian president Vladimir Putin’s intelligence and cyber services worked to help turn the election in Trump’s favour. | US intelligence agencies have concluded that Russian president Vladimir Putin’s intelligence and cyber services worked to help turn the election in Trump’s favour. |
| Amid mounting evidence of campaign contacts with Russian operatives, Trump repeated his denial on Friday. | Amid mounting evidence of campaign contacts with Russian operatives, Trump repeated his denial on Friday. |
| “There is absolutely no collusion. I didn’t make a phone call to Russia. I have nothing to do with Russia. Everybody knows it. That was a Democrat hoax. It was an excuse for losing the election,” he said. | “There is absolutely no collusion. I didn’t make a phone call to Russia. I have nothing to do with Russia. Everybody knows it. That was a Democrat hoax. It was an excuse for losing the election,” he said. |
| Trump also blasted as “disgraceful” recently released text messages exchanged by an FBI agent and a lawyer involved in the probe who were critical of the president. | Trump also blasted as “disgraceful” recently released text messages exchanged by an FBI agent and a lawyer involved in the probe who were critical of the president. |
| The agent, Peter Strzok, has been removed from the investigation being led by Mueller, a former FBI director. | The agent, Peter Strzok, has been removed from the investigation being led by Mueller, a former FBI director. |
| Agence France-Presse contributed to this report | Agence France-Presse contributed to this report |
| Donald Trump | |
| Trump-Russia investigation | |
| Robert Mueller | |
| Trump administration | |
| Russia | |
| Democrats | |
| news | |
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