Trump says he is willing to testify under oath in U.S.-Russia probe

[webfact]

Trump says he is willing to testify under oath in U.S.-Russia probe

By Roberta Rampton and Warren Strobel

 

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at a working session with mayors at the White House in Washington, U.S., January 24, 2018. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would be willing to be interviewed under oath by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.

 

"I'm looking forward to it, actually," Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House, said of an interview with Mueller, a former FBI Director. "I would do it under oath."

 

Although Trump has pledged cooperation with Mueller's probe before, Trump made his assertion as the White House and allies in Congress have stepped up attacks on the investigation's credibility and Trump himself has hedged on whether he would answer questions.

 

Trump's attorneys have been talking to Mueller's team about an interview, according to sources with knowledge of the investigation. "I would like to do it as soon as possible," Trump said.

 

Trump, however, said that setting a date certain for an interview would be "subject to my lawyers and all of that." Asked whether he thought Mueller would treat him fairly, Trump replied, "We're going to find out."

 

Sources told Reuters earlier Wednesday that senior U.S. intelligence officers including CIA Director Mike Pompeo have been questioned by the special counsel's team about whether Trump tried to obstruct justice in the Russia probe.

 

Such questioning is further indication that Mueller's criminal investigation into purported Russian interference in the election and potential collusion by Trump's campaign includes examining the president's actions around the probe.

 

In his remarks to reporters on Wednesday, Trump repeated past statements that there was no collusion between the campaign and Russia and "there's no obstruction whatsoever." The Kremlin has denied conclusions by U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia interfered in the election campaign using hacking and propaganda to try to tilt the race in Trump's favour.

 

Trump on Wednesday denied a Washington Post report that last year he had asked then-acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe whom he had voted for in 2016, which reportedly left McCabe concerned about civil servants being interrogated about their political leanings.

 

"I don't think so. I don't think I did. I don't know what's the big deal with that, because I would ask you," Trump said to reporters.

 

In interviews last year with Pompeo, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and National Security Agency Director Admiral Mike Rogers, the sources said Mueller's team focused on whether Trump had asked them to lean on James Comey, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Director until Trump fired him in May.

 

Comey said Trump dismissed him to try to undermine the agency's Russia investigation. His firing led to Mueller's appointment to take over the FBI probe and is central to whether Trump may have committed obstruction of justice.

 

Mueller also asked the officials if Trump tried to shut down intelligence investigations into Russian election meddling and into contacts between Russian officials connected with President Vladimir Putin's government and associates of Trump or his campaign, the sources said on condition of anonymity.

 

Representatives for the CIA declined to comment on whether Pompeo had been interviewed.

 

More than 20 White House personnel have voluntarily given interviews to Mueller’s team, Fox News reported Wednesday.

 

It is unusual for FBI interviews to be conducted under oath, but even if Trump is not interviewed by Mueller's team under oath, it would still be a crime for him to lie to federal agents, said Andrew Wright, a professor at Savannah Law School and a former associate counsel to President Barack Obama.

 

That is the charge to which former Trump National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and former Trump campaign advisor George Papadopoulos have both pleaded guilty.

 

An oath would be administered if Mueller issues a subpoena for Trump to testify before a grand jury as opposed to a private interview, Wright said.

 

In 1998, charges that then-President Bill Clinton lied under oath to a federal grand jury about his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky help lead to his impeachment by the U.S. House of Representatives. Clinton was acquitted.

 

(Reporting by Roberta Rampton, Warren Strobel, Jan Wolfe, Doina Chiacu and James Oliphant; Editing by Frances Kerry and Grant McCool)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-01-25

[Langsuan Man]

This is because the stable genius thinks that what he thinks is the truth is the truth so he is not worried about the truth 

[darksidedog]

12 minutes ago, Langsuan Man said:

This is because the stable genius thinks that what he thinks is the truth is the truth so he is not worried about the truth 

And he isn't particularly averse to simply telling outright lies when ever it is convenient or expedient to do so either. I don't see them getting much of value in terms of the real truth, whether under oath or not.

[boomerangutang]

flip, flop, flip, flop, .....and flip again.

[Get Real]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Trump says he is willing to testify under oath in U.S.-Russia probe

Never heard of that it was possible to testify without beeing under oath, is it? Now I will go google the word, moron.

[Boon Mee]

Of course he is willing to testify under oath since he is innocent and has nothing to hide. 

Get this witch hunt over sooner the better. 

[1337markus]

3 hours ago, Langsuan Man said:

This is because the stable genius thinks that what he thinks is the truth is the truth so he is not worried about the truth 

so he is willing to lie more?

[stevenl]

8 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

Of course he is willing to testify under oath since he is innocent and has nothing to hide. 

Get this witch hunt over sooner the better. 

In his own words: yes no yes no yes.

 

Agree, get it over the sooner the better.

[mamypoko]

Mexico will pay for the wall. I'll release my tax returns. Eager to testify under oath...blah blah blah   

Place your bets

[Briggsy]

It is regrettable that the headline is framed as it is as it paints just the inaccurate picture the administration wants.

 

A more accurate headline would be, "Trump contradicts previous statements yet again," with a sub-headline, "More contradictory statements expected next week."

[milwaukeeboy]

Trump 2020

[siamike]

9 minutes ago, milwaukeeboy said:

Trump 2020

Trump's testimony will ensure that he wont be available to run in 2020,...way too difficult to campaign from behind bars.

[RobFord]

Doesn’t matter if he testifies under oath or not, it’s a crime to lie to the FBI. 

 

 

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, milwaukeeboy said:

Trump 2020

That would be a nightmare but you're obviously jumping the gun. 

[dunroaming]

For someone in as much denial as Trump must be in and who lies at the drop of a hat, would the "oath" be something he would understand anyway?  To swear on oath means that you must have some credibility and an expectation that you capable of separating the truth from the lies.

[jcsmith]

Please, please, please testify under oath. 

[attrayant]

4 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

Of course he is willing to testify under oath since he is innocent and has nothing to hide. 

 

That means he won't be mucking about with that silly fifth amendment thing, right?

[Dap]

More like he is willing to lie under oath. Who's gonna' do anything about it?

 

[Jingthing]

More like he is willing to lie under oath. Who's gonna' do anything about it?
 

If he keeps saying I do not recall they can't prove he is lying. Anyway trump's word is less than worthless under oath or not.

Sent from my [device_name] using http://Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Dap]

11 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

If he keeps saying I do not recall they can't prove he is lying. Anyway trump's word is less than worthless under oath or not.

Sent from my [device_name] using http://Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

At least to you and me Jingthing. Seems a whole bunch out there would argue the point.

[ilostmypassword]

8 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

Of course he is willing to testify under oath since he is innocent and has nothing to hide. 

Get this witch hunt over sooner the better. 

And when Trump says just the opposite, you'll be justifying that too.

[soalbundy]

I wouldn't believe a word he said even if he swore an oath on the Turin shroud, he is an egocentric maniac, it maybe that he can bribe his way to heaven when his time comes  but he wont like God.

[boomerangutang]

20 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

Of course he is willing to testify under oath since he is innocent and has nothing to hide. Get this witch hunt over sooner the better. 

A comparison: If a detective is investigating a complicated murder, he doesn't want a group of people needling him with, "hurry up. Get this over."

 

When the story broke, last summer (a year after the event) that there was a meeting with Kushner, Trump Jr., Manafort and a bunch of Russian agents, ....Trumps JR and Sr issued terse statements saying, "It was adoptions. That's it. Nothing more.  No one else was there. Now it's over. Done. Fogedabowdit. Ok?"

 

During ensuing days and weeks, we found out there were several other people at that meeting, plus chains of emails and other evidence showing there was much more involved at that meeting.

 

It's the same decrepit mentality of law-breakers:  They want the investigation over a.s.a.p. because (they think) the sooner it's terminated, the less real shit will be revealed.

 

What Trump and his fellow law-breakers (and Republicans and rednecks) would like most is for Mueller to announce today:  "We terminate this investigation as of right now. We found nothing.  Sorry for all the worry and expense.  Everyone can rest easy.  There was no wrong-doing by Trump or anyone else.  Everyone is cleared.  Bye bye."

[boomerangutang]

Oath or no oath, Trump and his entire cabal will lie.  

 

Lying to the FBI, anytime, anywhere, is a crime - regardless of whether there's an oath.

 

I wonder how that affects spouses of FBI agents - when they try to lie about having an affair.

 

Charles, the FBI agent tells his g.f.:  "You say you didn't have sex with Bill, but I have surveillance tapes which prove you did. (he reaches for his handcuffs) I'm putting you under arrest and recommending you get 5 years hard time for lying to an FBI agent."

[Silurian]

On 1/25/2018 at 8:56 AM, webfact said:

Trump's attorneys have been talking to Mueller's team about an interview, according to sources with knowledge of the investigation. "I would like to do it as soon as possible," Trump said.

 

"As soon as possible" means as soon as Donny John can free himself up from his so so busy schedule. They will delay and equivocate for weeks and months stating that he is way too busy to free up any time to give any testimony. This gives him the "I would give an interview if I just had the time" excuse. Delay...delay...delay will be the theme. Meanwhile, this gives Republicans time to discredit Mueller and the FBI. If they delay long enough and Republicans push hard enough, they are hoping the whole investigation falls apart. 

 

[Berkshire]

13 minutes ago, Silurian said:

 

"As soon as possible" means as soon as Donny John can free himself up from his so so busy schedule. They will delay and equivocate for weeks and months stating that he is way too busy to free up any time to give any testimony. This gives him the "I would give an interview if I just had the time" excuse. Delay...delay...delay will be the theme. Meanwhile, this gives Republicans time to discredit Mueller and the FBI. If they delay long enough and Republicans push hard enough, they are hoping the whole investigation falls apart. 

 

I think Trump's tactic is going to be that he wants to "100%" testify, but his lawyers won't let him.  I hope I'm wrong.  It would be a miracle to get this lying SOB to testify under oath.  But if it happens, Trump will be toast.  There is simply no way this psycho can answer questions without lying.   

[Silurian]

1 hour ago, Berkshire said:

I think Trump's tactic is going to be that he wants to "100%" testify, but his lawyers won't let him.  I hope I'm wrong.  It would be a miracle to get this lying SOB to testify under oath.  But if it happens, Trump will be toast.  There is simply no way this psycho can answer questions without lying.   

 

There will probably be a number of delay tactics used. His lawyers are terrified that Donny John will testify. It will be interesting if he refuses to testify, then gets subpoenaed to do so and then refuses the subpoena. How does the justice system force a standing president to testify? Could he just keep refusing without any consequences? 

 

[selftaopath]

21 hours ago, siamike said:

Trump's testimony will ensure that he wont be available to run in 2020,...way too difficult to campaign from behind bars.

Or.... the commute from Russia is too lengthy. :-)

[selftaopath]

1 hour ago, Silurian said:

 

"As soon as possible" means as soon as Donny John can free himself up from his so so busy schedule. They will delay and equivocate for weeks and months stating that he is way too busy to free up any time to give any testimony. This gives him the "I would give an interview if I just had the time" excuse. Delay...delay...delay will be the theme. Meanwhile, this gives Republicans time to discredit Mueller and the FBI. If they delay long enough and Republicans push hard enough, they are hoping the whole investigation falls apart. 

 

I believe Trump has little control over speaking with The Special Counsel.  If he refused a request he will be given a subpoena. :-)

[Berkshire]

3 minutes ago, selftaopath said:

I believe Trump has little control over speaking with The Special Counsel.  If he refused a request he will be given a subpoena. :-)

Yeah, but what if he just rejects the subpoena?  Not sure what the spineless GOP Congress will do.  Trump may be prepared to go where no criminal President has gone before.