WMAL Interview - DEL WILBER - 08.04.17

INTERVIEW -- DEL WILBER - Wall Street Journal reporter and author of "A Good Month for Murder" and "Rawhide Down."

DEL broke the Wall Street Journal story yesterday about Mueller's grand jury

Special Counsel Robert Mueller Impanels Washington Grand Jury in Russia Probe. Expansion beyond Flynn grand jury is a sign the investigation in election meddling is ramping up. (Wall Street Journal/Del Wilber) -- Special Counsel Robert Mueller has impaneled a grand jury in Washington to investigate Russia’s interference in the 2016 elections, a sign that his inquiry is growing in intensity and entering a new phase, according to people familiar with the matter. The grand jury, which began its work in recent weeks, signals that Mr. Mueller’s inquiry will likely continue for months. Mr. Mueller is investigating Russia’s efforts to influence the 2016 election and whether President Donald Trump’s campaign or associates colluded with the Kremlin as part of that effort.

Senators Introduce 2 Bills To Try To Keep Trump From Firing Mueller. In first bipartisan attempt to keep president in check amid Russia inquiry, two bills would take steps to prevent president from directly firing special counsel US senators from both parties are seeking to protect the special counsel Robert Mueller from being fired by Donald Trump, marking the first bipartisan bid by lawmakers to impose a check on the president against the backdrop of the Russia investigation. A pair of bills were unveiled on Thursday, co-sponsored by both Republicans and Democrats in the Senate, that would take measures to bar the president from directly firing the special counsel investigating Russian interference in the 2016 US election and any involvement by the president and his team.

Ty Cobb, special counsel to the president, said he was not aware that Mueller had convened a grand jury – a powerful institution in the US government charged with both investigating potential criminal conduct as well as determining whether criminal charges should be brought. (The Guardian) -- “Grand jury matters are typically secret,” said Cobb, in a statement provided by the White House. “The White House favors anything that accelerates the conclusion of his work fairly ... The White House is committed to fully cooperating with Mr Mueller.”

Reuters reported that grand jury subpoenas had been issued in relation to the June 2016 meeting between Donald Trump Jr, the president’s eldest son, and the Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya.

=================================================================================

Special Counsel Robert Mueller Impanels Washington Grand Jury in Russia Probe

Expansion beyond Flynn grand jury is a sign the investigation in election meddling is ramping up

By Del Quentin Wilber and Byron Tau Updated Aug. 3, 2017 3:38 p.m. ET

Special Counsel Robert Mueller has impaneled a grand jury in Washington to investigate Russia’s interference in the 2016 elections, a sign that his inquiry is growing in intensity and entering a new phase, according to people familiar with the matter.

The grand jury, which began its work in recent weeks, signals that Mr. Mueller’s inquiry will likely continue for months. Mr. Mueller is investigating Russia’s efforts to influence the 2016 election and whether President Donald Trump’s campaign or associates colluded with the Kremlin as part of that effort.

A spokesman for Mr. Mueller, Joshua Stueve, declined to comment. Moscow has denied seeking to influence the election, and Mr. Trump has vigorously disputed allegations of collusion. The president has called Mr. Mueller’s inquiry a “witch hunt.”