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Trump Russia probe: Mueller improperly obtained emails, lawyer says Trump Russia inquiry: Mueller improperly obtained emails, lawyer says
(about 1 hour later)
A lawyer for a group set up to help Donald Trump's transition to the White House has accused special counsel Robert Mueller of unlawfully obtaining thousands of emails.A lawyer for a group set up to help Donald Trump's transition to the White House has accused special counsel Robert Mueller of unlawfully obtaining thousands of emails.
Kory Langhofer made the comments in a letter to congressional committees.Kory Langhofer made the comments in a letter to congressional committees.
But a spokesperson for Mr Mueller said the "appropriate criminal process" had been followed.But a spokesperson for Mr Mueller said the "appropriate criminal process" had been followed.
Mr Mueller is investigating allegations of collusion between Mr Trump's presidential campaign and Russia.Mr Mueller is investigating allegations of collusion between Mr Trump's presidential campaign and Russia.
Mr Langhofer works for the Trump for America group, which used a government agency, the General Services Administration (GSA), for their offices, equipment and email hosting in the period between Donald Trump's election and his inauguration in 2017. What's the issue?
The GSA is reported to have supplied these records to Mr Mueller's investigation team in the summer. Mr Langhofer works for the Trump for America (TFA) group. It used the facilities, including email hosting, of a government agency, the General Services Administration (GSA), in the period between Donald Trump's election in November 2016 and inauguration in January.
Mr Langhofer sent a letter on Saturday complaining that the GSA "did not own or control the records in question". In his letter, Mr Langhofer, says GSA staff "unlawfully produced TFA's private materials, including privileged communications, to the special counsel's office".
The letter says the group believe some of these communications should have been redacted because they believe they contain information under privilege. The seven-page letter was published by political news website Politico. The GSA, he complains, "did not own or control the records in question" and the constitutional rights of transition officials were violated.
Mr Langhofer said Trump for America had separated those emails out in advance of any request to share them, but found out this week that Mr Mueller's probe had already obtained the emails months ago. Mr Langhofer goes on to ask Congress to act to protect future presidential transitions from having "private records misappropriated by government agencies, particularly in the context of sensitive investigations intersecting with political motives".
The transition group lawyer is requesting that Congress act to protect future presidential transitions from having "private records misappropriated by government agencies, particularly in the context of sensitive investigations intersecting with political motives". The emails obtained reportedly involve 13 Trump transition officials, including former national security advisor Michael Flynn who pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI earlier this month.
But a spokesperson for Mr Mueller, Peter Carr, said: "When we have obtained emails in the course of our ongoing criminal investigation, we have secured either the account owner's consent or appropriate criminal process". What's the reaction been?
Others too have defended against the accusations the emails were obtained unlawfully. Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell tweeted that the claims were "another attempt to discredit Mueller as his #TrumpRussia probe tightens"". A spokesperson for Mr Mueller said they had done nothing wrong.
American news website Axios reported on Saturday that email records from 12 members of the campaign, including President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, had been obtained by the Mueller team. "When we have obtained emails in the course of our ongoing criminal investigation, we have secured either the account owner's consent or appropriate criminal process," Peter Carr said.
President Trump's private lawyers are expected to meet Mr Mueller and members of his team next week to discuss the next phases of the investigation, US media report. GSA Deputy Counsel Lenny Loewentritt has denied another of Mr Langhofer's accusations, that the GSA assured that requests for Trump transition records would go through the group's lawyers.
Earlier this month the president's former national security advisor Michael Flynn became the highest-profile person charged in the probe, pleading guilty to making false statements to the FBI about meetings with Russia's ambassador weeks before Donald Trump's inauguration. It was revealed he is co-operating with the inquiry's investigation. He told BuzzFeed that the transition group knew materials would have to be provided to law enforcement "therefore, no expectation of privacy can be assumed".
Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell tweeted that the accusations were "another attempt to discredit Mueller as his #TrumpRussia probe tightens".
What's the status of Mr Mueller's inquiry?
US intelligence agencies believe Moscow tried to tip the presidential election in favour of Mr Trump but both deny collusion.
The US president has called Mr Mueller's investigation a "witch hunt" while other Republicans accuse it of bias.
Michael Flynn became the most senior Trump official to be indicted as part of the inquiry after admitting making false statements to the FBI about meetings with Russia's ambassador.
Another ex-aide, George Papadopoulos, has also pleaded guilty to making false statements to FBI agents.
In October, Mr Trump's former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, and his business associate Rick Gates were accused of conspiring to defraud the US in dealings with Ukraine. Both deny the charges, which do not relate to the Trump campaign.
On Friday, the top Democrat on the House intelligence committee, Adam Schiff, said he feared Republican members wanted to shut down their own investigation.
President Trump's private lawyers are expected to meet Mr Mueller and members of his team next week to discuss the next phases of the inquiry, US media report.