Reports have surfaced that Donald Trump is being investigated by special counsel Rob Mueller for possible obstruction of justice. The special counsel is in the process of investigating the interference of Russia in the 2016 presidential election. Donald Trump and his legal counsel did not directly deny the reports but instead denounced the leaks and Trump called the investigation phony in recent tweets.
Obstruction of justice allegations
It appears that the Russian investigation has now expanded to include the president of the United States. According to a report by the Washington Post, the federal investigation into Donald Trump's campaign collusion with Russia now includes an investigation into whether the president tried to stop that probe.
James Comey, fired FBI director, had recently testified to Congress that Trump had told him in a private meeting to let the investigation into Flynn go. The report suggests that the allegations of obstruction center on Trump's actions as reported by Comey.
Donald Trump reacts to report
Trump has reacted to Comey's testimony as not being truthful and when asked said he would willing testify under Oath before Congress. After the report of possible obstruction charges surfaced, Trump's personal lawyer Mark Corallo responded to the reports by calling what he described as an FBI leak, outrageous and illegal.
Trump himself responded in tweets early Thursday morning saying that the collusion with Russia story is phony and made up and that the obstruction of justice claim is based on no proof.
He also stated in another tweet that the investigation is being led by bad and conflicted people.
New players in the Russia investigation
Congress heard under oath from Comey about alleged attempts by Trump to get the FBI to drop the Russian investigation. However, other potential witnesses have surfaced that could throw additional light on the claims.
It is reported that Donald Trump also talked to the national intelligence director Dan Coats and Admiral Mike Rogers who heads the National Security Agency. It is alleged that Trump asked both men to publicly deny the evidence of his campaign collusion with the Russians and both men denied to do so.
Coats, Rogers and Richard Ledgett who is the former deputy director of the National Security Agency, could be talking to Mueller in connection with the potential obstruction inquiry according to reports in both the New York Times and the Post. Rogers and Ledgett had refused to answer questions before Congress pertaining to whether the president had asked them to intervene on the Russian interference investigation.
