Former US Special Counsel <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-attacks-robert-mueller-ahead-of-testimony-on-russia-probe-237817">Robert Mueller testifies to Congress </a>on Wednesday at a pair of televised hearings that carry high stakes for President Donald Trump and Democrats who are split between impeaching him or moving on to the 2020 election.

Mueller, whose inquiry detailed extensive contacts between Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia at a time when Moscow was interfering in the 2016 election with hacking and propaganda, is set to appear beginning at 8:30 a.m. (1230 GMT) in separate hearings before the House of Representatives Judiciary and Intelligence committees.

Democrats, who control the House, hope his testimony will rally public support behind their own ongoing investigations of the Republican president and his administration, even as they struggle with whether to launch the impeachment process set out in the US Constitution for removing a president from office for "high crimes and misdemeanours."

Mueller is not expected to deliver any new bombshells, according to Democratic aides, but rather stick to the contents of his 448-page investigation report about the 22-month-long probe of Russian election meddling. Mueller plans to deliver an opening statement before taking questions.

Democrats hope the 74-year-old former FBI director will give the American public a compelling account of Russia's sweeping interference, the Trump campaign's readiness to accept help from Moscow and Trump's efforts to impede the Russia probe that Mueller investigated as potential obstruction of justice.

Trump, running for re-election in 2020, is hoping to move past the entire Russia issue.

"Seeing is believing in America. That report was voluminous. But most Americans didn't read it. So they'll see Mueller lay out the case," said Representative Eric Swalwell, who sits on both the Judiciary and Intelligence panels.

Mueller's appearance could also be a turning point for Democrats on the question of impeachment.

Many liberal Democrats are pushing for an impeachment inquiry against Trump, whose recent incendiary rhetoric about four congresswomen from racial minorities also has ignited a political firestorm. Eighty-nine House Democrats, about 38 per cent of them, now want an impeachment inquiry against Trump, according to a Reuters survey.

That is well short of the 218 votes needed to adopt articles of impeachment in the House, which would trigger a trial in the Senate on whether to remove Trump. But the number backing impeachment could swell if Mueller's testimony proves to be compelling.

"We hope Mueller's testimony will be a watershed," said Democratic Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, a Judiciary panel member.

The impeachment question has divided Democrats, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi opposing such a move as politically risky for moderate Democrats on whose future the House Democratic majority depends. Some Democrats prefer to remove Trump from office the ordinary way: defeating him in next year's election.

Mueller, who had expressed reluctance to testify, agreed only after being subpoenaed. Mueller, a former federal prosecutor and US Marine Corps officer, is also known for favouring one-word answers at hearings and could prove too taciturn to satisfy Democrats' hopes of a forceful narrative.

"Let us listen, let us see where the facts will take us," Pelosi said of the hearings. "We'll see what happens after that."

'Going to be disappointed'

Republicans in Congress are predicting chagrin for the Democrats.

"I think they're going to be disappointed, just as they were when the Mueller report came out," said Republican Representative Tom Cole.

Mueller's report said the investigation found insufficient evidence to prove that Trump and his campaign engaged in a criminal conspiracy with Russia. The report also did not reach a conclusion on whether Trump committed the crime of obstruction of justice but pointedly did not exonerate him. Attorney General William Barr, a Trump appointee, subsequently cleared the president of an obstruction of justice.

"It is so important for him to say that the investigation did not exonerate the president," said Representative Val Demings, another Democrat who sits on both panels.

Republicans are expected to raise questions with Mueller about the integrity of the origins of the Russia probe in the FBI during Democrat Barack Obama's administration and the political leanings of the special counsel's staff members. Trump has sought to portray the probe as an attempted coup.

The Justice Department on Monday sent a letter telling Mueller to limit his testimony to merely discussing the public report, a directive that the Judiciary Committee chairman rejected as out of line.

But even if Mueller's testimony proves disappointing enough to deflate impeachment chances, Democrats expect their continuing investigations to produce revelations that could damage Trump's re-election prospects.

The heart of the Democratic strategy is to focus Mueller's testimony on several examples of potential obstruction by Trump, including his repeated efforts to get former White House Counsel Don McGahn to remove Mueller and then deny that he had been directed to do so.

Lawmakers will also emphasize attempts by Trump to his fired former Attorney General Jeff Sessions to redirect the Russia probe away from his 2016 campaign, and possible witness tampering in public statements seen to discourage his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen from cooperating with federal investigations.

Democrats have said the report includes shocking evidence of misconduct that would result in criminal charges against any other American. The Justice Department has a longstanding policy against bringing criminal charges against a sitting president.

Former US Special Counsel Robert Mueller testifies to Congress on Wednesday at a pair of televised hearings that carry high stakes for President Donald Trump and Democrats who are split between impeaching him or moving on to the 2020 election.

Former US Special Counsel Robert Mueller testifies to Congress on Wednesday at a pair of televised hearings that carry high stakes for President Donald Trump and Democrats who are split between impeaching him or moving on to the 2020 election. Mueller, whose inquiry detailed extensive contacts between Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia at a time when Moscow was interfering in the 2016 election with hacking and propaganda, is set to appear beginning at 8:30 a.m. (1230 GMT) in separate hearings before the House of Representatives Judiciary and Intelligence committees. Democrats, who control the House, hope his testimony will rally public support behind their own ongoing investigations of the Republican president and his administration, even as they struggle with whether to launch the impeachment process set out in the US Constitution for removing a president from office for "high crimes and misdemeanours." Mueller is not expected to deliver any new bombshells, according to Democratic aides, but rather stick to the contents of his 448-page investigation report about the 22-month-long probe of Russian election meddling. Mueller plans to deliver an opening statement before taking questions. Democrats hope the 74-year-old former FBI director will give the American public a compelling account of Russia's sweeping interference, the Trump campaign's readiness to accept help from Moscow and Trump's efforts to impede the Russia probe that Mueller investigated as potential obstruction of justice. Trump, running for re-election in 2020, is hoping to move past the entire Russia issue. "Seeing is believing in America. That report was voluminous. But most Americans didn't read it. So they'll see Mueller lay out the case," said Representative Eric Swalwell, who sits on both the Judiciary and Intelligence panels. Mueller's appearance could also be a turning point for Democrats on the question of impeachment. Many liberal Democrats are pushing for an impeachment inquiry against Trump, whose recent incendiary rhetoric about four congresswomen from racial minorities also has ignited a political firestorm. Eighty-nine House Democrats, about 38 per cent of them, now want an impeachment inquiry against Trump, according to a Reuters survey. That is well short of the 218 votes needed to adopt articles of impeachment in the House, which would trigger a trial in the Senate on whether to remove Trump. But the number backing impeachment could swell if Mueller's testimony proves to be compelling. "We hope Mueller's testimony will be a watershed," said Democratic Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, a Judiciary panel member. The impeachment question has divided Democrats, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi opposing such a move as politically risky for moderate Democrats on whose future the House Democratic majority depends. Some Democrats prefer to remove Trump from office the ordinary way: defeating him in next year's election. Mueller, who had expressed reluctance to testify, agreed only after being subpoenaed. Mueller, a former federal prosecutor and US Marine Corps officer, is also known for favouring one-word answers at hearings and could prove too taciturn to satisfy Democrats' hopes of a forceful narrative. "Let us listen, let us see where the facts will take us," Pelosi said of the hearings. "We'll see what happens after that." 'Going to be disappointed' Republicans in Congress are predicting chagrin for the Democrats. "I think they're going to be disappointed, just as they were when the Mueller report came out," said Republican Representative Tom Cole. Mueller's report said the investigation found insufficient evidence to prove that Trump and his campaign engaged in a criminal conspiracy with Russia. The report also did not reach a conclusion on whether Trump committed the crime of obstruction of justice but pointedly did not exonerate him. Attorney General William Barr, a Trump appointee, subsequently cleared the president of an obstruction of justice. "It is so important for him to say that the investigation did not exonerate the president," said Representative Val Demings, another Democrat who sits on both panels. Republicans are expected to raise questions with Mueller about the integrity of the origins of the Russia probe in the FBI during Democrat Barack Obama's administration and the political leanings of the special counsel's staff members. Trump has sought to portray the probe as an attempted coup. The Justice Department on Monday sent a letter telling Mueller to limit his testimony to merely discussing the public report, a directive that the Judiciary Committee chairman rejected as out of line. But even if Mueller's testimony proves disappointing enough to deflate impeachment chances, Democrats expect their continuing investigations to produce revelations that could damage Trump's re-election prospects. The heart of the Democratic strategy is to focus Mueller's testimony on several examples of potential obstruction by Trump, including his repeated efforts to get former White House Counsel Don McGahn to remove Mueller and then deny that he had been directed to do so. Lawmakers will also emphasize attempts by Trump to his fired former Attorney General Jeff Sessions to redirect the Russia probe away from his 2016 campaign, and possible witness tampering in public statements seen to discourage his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen from cooperating with federal investigations. Democrats have said the report includes shocking evidence of misconduct that would result in criminal charges against any other American. The Justice Department has a longstanding policy against bringing criminal charges against a sitting president.

Tight-lipped Robert Mueller to testify at hearings with high stakes for Trump, Democrats 

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mueller-report-shows-evidence-trump-committed-crimes-house-judiciary-chairman-237500">Robert Mueller</a> said Wednesday he did not exonerate Donald Trump in his two-year Russian meddling investigation but also told lawmakers he will not say if the president committed a crime, as he launched into a marathon day of congressional testimony.

Three months after releasing the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/what-is-mueller-report-everything-you-need-to-know-about-it-211667">final report on his probe into the 2016 election</a>, much of the American public remains unclear about the former special counsel's findings on whether Trump criminally obstructed justice and whether his campaign colluded with Russians.

With Trump declaring he was "exonerated" in the probe and Democrats saying the report supplied ample evidence for impeachment, the notoriously taciturn Mueller answered questions for the first time in front of two separate, Democrat-run committees in the House of Representatives.

Mueller -- who made a few public remarks at a press conference on May but did not take questions and has resisted testifying -- reiterated that he would "stay within the text" of his report, and was visibly uncomfortable once the question period began.

"Based on Justice Department policy and principles of fairness, we decided we would not make a determination as to whether the president committed a crime. That was our decision then and it remains our decision today," Mueller said in his opening remarks.

But when asked at the start of the hearing before the House Judiciary Committee if his report completely cleared the president of wrongdoing, Mueller said "no."

"The president was not exculpated for the acts he allegedly committed," Mueller said, adding that it was "true" that Trump could be prosecuted for obstruction of justice after he leaves office.

As the questioning volleyed back and forth from Democratic to Republican committee members, the tension mounted and ebbed. Mueller offered many one-word answers and repeatedly referred lawmakers back to the report.

Trump insisted this week he would not watch the nationally-televised testimony but half an hour before it was to start, he let loose with an angry Twitter tirade, complaining among other things about the fact Mueller will testify with a top aide sitting next to him.

"This was specifically NOT agreed to, and I would NEVER have agreed to it. The Greatest Witch Hunt in U.S. history, by far!" Trump wrote in one of a half dozen tweets.

The cryptic legalese used in Mueller's report allowed the president and his allies to claim the investigation was a politically charged witch hunt that found nothing of substance.

"NO COLLUSION, NO OBSTRUCTION!" Trump tweeted again on Tuesday.

Democrats nevertheless hoped Mueller would make clear to the public why he did not bring charges despite damning evidence outlined in the 448-page report -- and potentially offer explanations of Trump's conduct that would damage him in the run-up to the 2020 election.

"Every American deserves to know the crimes and corruption exposed in the Mueller Report," said Democratic Representative Ted Lieu.

- Collusion, obstruction alleged -

Mueller's report documents extensive contacts between the Trump campaign and Russians, including attempts to cooperate or collude, neither of which is a specific crime.

Mueller ruled in the end that there was not enough evidence to recommend charges of criminal conspiracy, the main legal charge he could make use of.

The veteran prosecutor and former FBI director also laid out in detail 10 instances when Trump allegedly tried to obstruct the investigation.

But he said he was prevented from recommending charges against Trump because Justice Department rules prohibited him from lodging criminal charges against a sitting president. He reiterated that position in Wednesday's testimony.

That left it to Congress to determine whether Trump committed a crime, and a minority of Democrats are pressing for the House to impeach the president.

- Justice Department rules -

Mueller, veteran of some 88 trips to Capitol Hill over a long career in government, is notorious for saying as little as possible.

But he also made clear he thinks the American public does not fully understand the extent and consequences of Russia's campaign to meddle in the election, which the president has repeatedly refused to acknowledge.

Trump's Justice Department meanwhile weighed in late Monday with a statement demanding that Mueller stick only to what he wrote in his report, in hopes of containing any fallout from his testimony.&nbsp;

"It's incredibly arrogant of the department to try to instruct him on what to say," Jerry Nadler, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said on CNN Tuesday.

"It's part of the ongoing coverup by the administration to keep information away from the American people."

Robert Mueller said Wednesday he did not exonerate Donald Trump in his two-year Russian meddling investigation but also told lawmakers he will not say if the president committed a crime, as he launched into a marathon day of congressional testimony.

Robert Mueller said Wednesday he did not exonerate Donald Trump in his two-year Russian meddling investigation but also told lawmakers he will not say if the president committed a crime, as he launched into a marathon day of congressional testimony. Three months after releasing the final report on his probe into the 2016 election, much of the American public remains unclear about the former special counsel's findings on whether Trump criminally obstructed justice and whether his campaign colluded with Russians. With Trump declaring he was "exonerated" in the probe and Democrats saying the report supplied ample evidence for impeachment, the notoriously taciturn Mueller answered questions for the first time in front of two separate, Democrat-run committees in the House of Representatives. Mueller -- who made a few public remarks at a press conference on May but did not take questions and has resisted testifying -- reiterated that he would "stay within the text" of his report, and was visibly uncomfortable once the question period began. "Based on Justice Department policy and principles of fairness, we decided we would not make a determination as to whether the president committed a crime. That was our decision then and it remains our decision today," Mueller said in his opening remarks. But when asked at the start of the hearing before the House Judiciary Committee if his report completely cleared the president of wrongdoing, Mueller said "no." "The president was not exculpated for the acts he allegedly committed," Mueller said, adding that it was "true" that Trump could be prosecuted for obstruction of justice after he leaves office. As the questioning volleyed back and forth from Democratic to Republican committee members, the tension mounted and ebbed. Mueller offered many one-word answers and repeatedly referred lawmakers back to the report. Trump insisted this week he would not watch the nationally-televised testimony but half an hour before it was to start, he let loose with an angry Twitter tirade, complaining among other things about the fact Mueller will testify with a top aide sitting next to him. "This was specifically NOT agreed to, and I would NEVER have agreed to it. The Greatest Witch Hunt in U.S. history, by far!" Trump wrote in one of a half dozen tweets. The cryptic legalese used in Mueller's report allowed the president and his allies to claim the investigation was a politically charged witch hunt that found nothing of substance. "NO COLLUSION, NO OBSTRUCTION!" Trump tweeted again on Tuesday. Democrats nevertheless hoped Mueller would make clear to the public why he did not bring charges despite damning evidence outlined in the 448-page report -- and potentially offer explanations of Trump's conduct that would damage him in the run-up to the 2020 election. "Every American deserves to know the crimes and corruption exposed in the Mueller Report," said Democratic Representative Ted Lieu. - Collusion, obstruction alleged - Mueller's report documents extensive contacts between the Trump campaign and Russians, including attempts to cooperate or collude, neither of which is a specific crime. Mueller ruled in the end that there was not enough evidence to recommend charges of criminal conspiracy, the main legal charge he could make use of. The veteran prosecutor and former FBI director also laid out in detail 10 instances when Trump allegedly tried to obstruct the investigation. But he said he was prevented from recommending charges against Trump because Justice Department rules prohibited him from lodging criminal charges against a sitting president. He reiterated that position in Wednesday's testimony. That left it to Congress to determine whether Trump committed a crime, and a minority of Democrats are pressing for the House to impeach the president. - Justice Department rules - Mueller, veteran of some 88 trips to Capitol Hill over a long career in government, is notorious for saying as little as possible. But he also made clear he thinks the American public does not fully understand the extent and consequences of Russia's campaign to meddle in the election, which the president has repeatedly refused to acknowledge. Trump's Justice Department meanwhile weighed in late Monday with a statement demanding that Mueller stick only to what he wrote in his report, in hopes of containing any fallout from his testimony. "It's incredibly arrogant of the department to try to instruct him on what to say," Jerry Nadler, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said on CNN Tuesday. "It's part of the ongoing coverup by the administration to keep information away from the American people."

Russia report did not exonerate Trump: Mueller

The top <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/factbox-clash-between-trump-us-house-democrats-shifts-into-courts-228730">Democrat</a> on the US House Judiciary Committee said Sunday he believes there is "substantial evidence" that President Donald Trump committed high crimes and misdemeanours, and he plans to ask former Special Counsel <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/robert-mueller-testimony-on-russia-meddling-investigation-postponed-reports-235395">Robert Mueller</a> to present those facts at a congressional hearing on Wednesday.

"The report presents very substantial evidence that the president is guilty of high crime and misdemeanours, and we have to let Mueller present those facts to the American people and then see where we go from there," House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler said on "Fox News Sunday."

"The administration must be held accountable, and no president can be above the law."

Nadler`s comments are significant because evidence of such crimes would be required if Democrats pursue impeachment proceedings against the president.

In two nationally televised back-to-back hearings on Wednesday before the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees, Democrats are expected to try and get Mueller to focus his testimony on specific examples of Trump`s misconduct.

By having Mueller lay bare the unflattering details of how Trump tried to stymie the investigation into his campaign, Democrats hope they can build support for their ongoing investigations into the president and potentially, impeachment proceedings.

Some Democrats in Congress support impeaching Trump, but they have not managed to win traction from House Democratic leadership including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has preferred a more cautious approach that entails conducting congressional fact-finding investigations into Trump`s conduct.

Last week, the House voted 332-95 to table an impeachment resolution.&nbsp;

Mueller completed his nearly two-year-long probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election in March, and the Justice Department released a redacted copy of his report in April.

The report laid out numerous contacts between Russian officials and Trump`s campaign but found no evidence of a criminal conspiracy. 
It also gave examples of 10 incidents in which Trump sought to hinder the investigation, but it did not draw any conclusions on whether Trump obstructed justice.&nbsp;

Attorney General William Barr later concluded he did not see enough evidence to bring obstruction charges.

Whether Democrats will get Mueller to discuss Trump`s conduct in detail remains to be seen.

Mueller has made it clear he has no desire to appear before Congress, saying the report is his testimony, and he is also notorious for being tight-lipped and for giving one-word answers in hearings.

Nadler said Democrats plan to ask very specific questions about Trump`s obstructive conduct and ask Mueller to read passages from the report aloud.

"We hope it won`t end up being a dud," he said of the hearing.

Meanwhile, Nadler said Sunday he plans to go to court "within a couple of days" after the Mueller hearings to enforce a subpoena, after the White House ordered former White House Counsel Don McGahn not to testify about incidents he witnessed which many say show Trump tried to obstruct justice.

The top Democrat on the US House Judiciary Committee said Sunday he believes there is "substantial evidence" that President Donald Trump committed high crimes and misdemeanours, and he plans to ask former Special Counsel Robert Mueller to present those facts at a congressional hearing on Wednesday.

The top Democrat on the US House Judiciary Committee said Sunday he believes there is "substantial evidence" that President Donald Trump committed high crimes and misdemeanours, and he plans to ask former Special Counsel Robert Mueller to present those facts at a congressional hearing on Wednesday. "The report presents very substantial evidence that the president is guilty of high crime and misdemeanours, and we have to let Mueller present those facts to the American people and then see where we go from there," House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler said on "Fox News Sunday." "The administration must be held accountable, and no president can be above the law." Nadler`s comments are significant because evidence of such crimes would be required if Democrats pursue impeachment proceedings against the president. In two nationally televised back-to-back hearings on Wednesday before the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees, Democrats are expected to try and get Mueller to focus his testimony on specific examples of Trump`s misconduct. By having Mueller lay bare the unflattering details of how Trump tried to stymie the investigation into his campaign, Democrats hope they can build support for their ongoing investigations into the president and potentially, impeachment proceedings. Some Democrats in Congress support impeaching Trump, but they have not managed to win traction from House Democratic leadership including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has preferred a more cautious approach that entails conducting congressional fact-finding investigations into Trump`s conduct. Last week, the House voted 332-95 to table an impeachment resolution. Mueller completed his nearly two-year-long probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election in March, and the Justice Department released a redacted copy of his report in April. The report laid out numerous contacts between Russian officials and Trump`s campaign but found no evidence of a criminal conspiracy. It also gave examples of 10 incidents in which Trump sought to hinder the investigation, but it did not draw any conclusions on whether Trump obstructed justice. Attorney General William Barr later concluded he did not see enough evidence to bring obstruction charges. Whether Democrats will get Mueller to discuss Trump`s conduct in detail remains to be seen. Mueller has made it clear he has no desire to appear before Congress, saying the report is his testimony, and he is also notorious for being tight-lipped and for giving one-word answers in hearings. Nadler said Democrats plan to ask very specific questions about Trump`s obstructive conduct and ask Mueller to read passages from the report aloud. "We hope it won`t end up being a dud," he said of the hearing. Meanwhile, Nadler said Sunday he plans to go to court "within a couple of days" after the Mueller hearings to enforce a subpoena, after the White House ordered former White House Counsel Don McGahn not to testify about incidents he witnessed which many say show Trump tried to obstruct justice.

Mueller report shows evidence Trump committed crimes: House Judiciary chairman

The FBI sent an undercover investigator to meet with an advisor to Donald Trump's presidential campaign to try to determine if it was working with Russia, The New York Times reported Thursday.

The investigator who met with <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/timeline-big-moments-in-mueller-investigation-of-russian-meddling-in-2016-us-election-211303&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwizyfrs3P7hAhWJqI8KHdgcAz8QFjAGegQIBBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1jJziI0gY-Oif39SAggvG2">George Papadopoulos</a> at a London bar in September 2016 -- two months before the election that brought Trump to office -- was posing as a research assistant, the Times said, citing unnamed people familiar with the operation.

The effort ultimately "yielded no fruitful information," the newspaper reported, but the revelation may provide further ammunition to Trump, who has denounced what he has termed "spying" on his presidential campaign.

Attorney General William Barr echoed that characterisation in testimony to Congress, saying that he will open an inquiry into "spying" against Trump by the FBI at the origins of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

The 22-month investigation -- which Trump repeatedly dismissed as a "witch hunt" -- led to charges against 34 individuals, including Papadopoulos, and three companies.

Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and pledged to cooperate, eventually serving 12 days in prison.

The FBI sent an undercover investigator to meet with an advisor to Donald Trump's presidential campaign to try to determine if it was working with Russia, The New York Times reported Thursday.

The FBI sent an undercover investigator to meet with an advisor to Donald Trump's presidential campaign to try to determine if it was working with Russia, The New York Times reported Thursday. The investigator who met with George Papadopoulos at a London bar in September 2016 -- two months before the election that brought Trump to office -- was posing as a research assistant, the Times said, citing unnamed people familiar with the operation. The effort ultimately "yielded no fruitful information," the newspaper reported, but the revelation may provide further ammunition to Trump, who has denounced what he has termed "spying" on his presidential campaign. Attorney General William Barr echoed that characterisation in testimony to Congress, saying that he will open an inquiry into "spying" against Trump by the FBI at the origins of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election. The 22-month investigation -- which Trump repeatedly dismissed as a "witch hunt" -- led to charges against 34 individuals, including Papadopoulos, and three companies. Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and pledged to cooperate, eventually serving 12 days in prison.

FBI sent undercover investigator to meet Trump aide: Report

Top US Democratic and Republican lawmakers said Monday they want Special Counsel Robert Mueller to testify before Congress about his investigation into Russian meddling during the 2016 election campaign.

Two weeks ago, Attorney General Bill Barr cleared US President Donald Trump of colluding with Russia in a four-page summary of the report. But the special counsel's final report on the investigation -- and whether Trump himself was involved in obstructing the probe -- remains unreleased.

Doug Collins, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, said he wants Democrats to immediately bring Mueller before the panel to testify about his report.

"If you seek both transparencies and for the American public to learn the full contours of the special counsel's investigation, public testimony from Special Counsel Mueller himself is undoubtedly the best way to accomplish this goal," Collins wrote in a letter to the committee's Democratic chairman, Jerry Nadler.

Nadler said he "fully" agreed, but stressed that Mueller should testify after the full report is delivered to Congress and Barr testifies. He called on Barr to testify before the committee on May 2.

"We look forward to hearing from Mr Mueller at the appropriate time," Nadler said.

It comes amid a heated battle in Washington over what Congress will actually be able to see of the report itself.&nbsp;

Democrats are demanding access to the entire, unredacted 400-page text, saying the evidence within could be damning to the president.

But Barr has said he will not release key evidence that is part of any investigation by a grand jury, a special panel used by prosecutors in politically sensitive cases.

Last week Nadler was among six Democrat committee chairs who wrote to Barr demanding the full report with its underlying evidence be submitted to Congress.

In his letter, Collins said Democrats were politicizing the situation by seeking the protected grand jury materials, despite an appeals court last Friday ruling that federal judges do not have authority to disclose such evidence except in specifically authorized situations.

Collins wrote that courts have determined that such situations include a formal impeachment inquiry, something Democrats have so far refused to launch.

"If you decline to launch an impeachment inquiry, which is your clear legal path to the 6(e) grand jury information, I suggest instead inviting Special Counsel Mueller in to testify before the Committee as soon as possible," Collins wrote.

Top US Democratic and Republican lawmakers said Monday they want Special Counsel Robert Mueller to testify before Congress about his investigation into Russian meddling during the 2016 election campaign.

Top US Democratic and Republican lawmakers said Monday they want Special Counsel Robert Mueller to testify before Congress about his investigation into Russian meddling during the 2016 election campaign. Two weeks ago, Attorney General Bill Barr cleared US President Donald Trump of colluding with Russia in a four-page summary of the report. But the special counsel's final report on the investigation -- and whether Trump himself was involved in obstructing the probe -- remains unreleased. Doug Collins, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, said he wants Democrats to immediately bring Mueller before the panel to testify about his report. "If you seek both transparencies and for the American public to learn the full contours of the special counsel's investigation, public testimony from Special Counsel Mueller himself is undoubtedly the best way to accomplish this goal," Collins wrote in a letter to the committee's Democratic chairman, Jerry Nadler. Nadler said he "fully" agreed, but stressed that Mueller should testify after the full report is delivered to Congress and Barr testifies. He called on Barr to testify before the committee on May 2. "We look forward to hearing from Mr Mueller at the appropriate time," Nadler said. It comes amid a heated battle in Washington over what Congress will actually be able to see of the report itself. Democrats are demanding access to the entire, unredacted 400-page text, saying the evidence within could be damning to the president. But Barr has said he will not release key evidence that is part of any investigation by a grand jury, a special panel used by prosecutors in politically sensitive cases. Last week Nadler was among six Democrat committee chairs who wrote to Barr demanding the full report with its underlying evidence be submitted to Congress. In his letter, Collins said Democrats were politicizing the situation by seeking the protected grand jury materials, despite an appeals court last Friday ruling that federal judges do not have authority to disclose such evidence except in specifically authorized situations. Collins wrote that courts have determined that such situations include a formal impeachment inquiry, something Democrats have so far refused to launch. "If you decline to launch an impeachment inquiry, which is your clear legal path to the 6(e) grand jury information, I suggest instead inviting Special Counsel Mueller in to testify before the Committee as soon as possible," Collins wrote.

Republicans, Democrats want Robert Mueller to testify on report on Russian meddling in 2016 election

The Kremlin on Monday again denied Moscow's interference in the 2016 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-declares-complete-exoneration-after-mueller-report-finds-no-collusion-205408">US presidential election after Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report</a> found there no conclusive evidence of Russian meddling.&nbsp;

It also said that it is ready to improve ties with the United States but it's up to Washington to make the first move.&nbsp;

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told journalists he had not seen the report but Russsias's "principled position on this matter is well known; our country has not interfered in the domestic affairs of other countries, including the United States," news agency AFP reported.

Peskov insisted "the accusations of interference... that are still being made against Russia, we as before consider to be baseless."

In Russia, pro-Kremlin lawmakers hailed the report as vindicating both Russia and Trump.

The report's findings "are a disgrace for the US and its political elite," Senator Alexei Pushkov wrote on Twitter.&nbsp;

"There's a chance to start a lot again from zero in our relations, but whether Trump will take the risk is still under question. We, of course, are ready," Konstantin Kosachev, foreign affairs committee chair in the upper house of parliament, wrote on Facebook.

In a letter sent to Congress summarising Mueller report, Barr quoted&nbsp; Special Counsel saying,&nbsp;"While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."&nbsp;

Barr said the investigation did not recommend any further indictments and does not have any further sealed indictments outstanding.

In his own review of Mueller's findings on obstruction -- one of the most explosive allegations against Trump -- Barr said, "the evidence... is not sufficient to establish that the president committed an obstruction-of-justice offence."

Barr's letter marked the conclusion of the 22-month investigation by Mueller, a former FBI director, into allegations that Trump's election campaign coordinated and colluded with Russians to skew the 2016 vote so the billionaire real estate magnate would win.

But it marked the beginning of a new phase, the determination of Democrats in Congress to further investigate Trump, using the evidence from the Mueller probe.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump declared that he had&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mueller-found-no-trump-campaign-collusion-with-russia-justice-department-205400">been completely exonerated</a>.

"There was no collusion with Russia. There was no obstruction. It was a complete and total exoneration," Trump said on Twitter.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1109918388133023744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

"It's a shame that the country had to go through this," he added. "This was an illegal takedown that failed."

(With inputs from agencies)

The Kremlin on Monday again denied Moscow's interference in the 2016 US presidential election after Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report found there no conclusive evidence of Russian meddling.

The Kremlin on Monday again denied Moscow's interference in the 2016 US presidential election after Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report found there no conclusive evidence of Russian meddling. It also said that it is ready to improve ties with the United States but it's up to Washington to make the first move. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told journalists he had not seen the report but Russsias's "principled position on this matter is well known; our country has not interfered in the domestic affairs of other countries, including the United States," news agency AFP reported. Peskov insisted "the accusations of interference... that are still being made against Russia, we as before consider to be baseless." In Russia, pro-Kremlin lawmakers hailed the report as vindicating both Russia and Trump. The report's findings "are a disgrace for the US and its political elite," Senator Alexei Pushkov wrote on Twitter. "There's a chance to start a lot again from zero in our relations, but whether Trump will take the risk is still under question. We, of course, are ready," Konstantin Kosachev, foreign affairs committee chair in the upper house of parliament, wrote on Facebook. In a letter sent to Congress summarising Mueller report, Barr quoted Special Counsel saying, "While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him." Barr said the investigation did not recommend any further indictments and does not have any further sealed indictments outstanding. In his own review of Mueller's findings on obstruction -- one of the most explosive allegations against Trump -- Barr said, "the evidence... is not sufficient to establish that the president committed an obstruction-of-justice offence." Barr's letter marked the conclusion of the 22-month investigation by Mueller, a former FBI director, into allegations that Trump's election campaign coordinated and colluded with Russians to skew the 2016 vote so the billionaire real estate magnate would win. But it marked the beginning of a new phase, the determination of Democrats in Congress to further investigate Trump, using the evidence from the Mueller probe. Meanwhile, Donald Trump declared that he had been completely exonerated. "There was no collusion with Russia. There was no obstruction. It was a complete and total exoneration," Trump said on Twitter. No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 24, 2019 × "It's a shame that the country had to go through this," he added. "This was an illegal takedown that failed." (With inputs from agencies)

Russia again denies meddling in 2016 US presidential election, says ready to improve ties

The main findings could be released as early as Saturday of a 22-month<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/could-witch-hunt-mueller-report-turn-into-trump-victory-204986"> investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller </a>into Russia's role in the 2016 US election and any potential wrongdoing by President Donald Trump, whose legal woes go beyond the end of the inquiry.

US Attorney General William Barr, who received a report on Friday from Mueller, told lawmakers in a letter that he may be able to inform them of Mueller's "principal conclusions as soon as this weekend."

Under Department of Justice regulations, Barr is empowered to decide how much to disclose publicly and he said in the letter that he is "committed to as much transparency as possible."

Barr arrived at the department building in Washington shortly before 10 am (1400 GMT) on Saturday. He was reviewing the report, a Justice Department official said.

Democrats on the US House of Representatives Judiciary Committee scheduled a 2 pm (1800 GMT) conference call to talk about next steps and messaging, congressional aides said. The 235 members of the Democratic caucus in the House have scheduled a 3 pm (1900 GMT) call, a senior Democratic aide said.

Trump, who is spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, has not commented to reporters or taken to Twitter, one of his favourite ways of communicating, on the completion of the investigation that has cast a shadow over the Republican's two years in the White House.

Trump had no public events scheduled on Saturday and was at his golf course in the morning. A large pro-Trump float pulled on a flatbed truck parked at the golf course about an hour after he arrived, adorned with American flags and "Trump 2020" signs. Political analysts expect the Mueller report to have an impact on how Democrats campaign to prevent Republican Trump being reelected.

The big question is whether the report contains allegations of wrongdoing by Trump or exonerates him. Mueller investigated whether Trump's campaign conspired with Moscow to try to influence the election and whether the Republican president later unlawfully tried to obstruct his investigation.

Mueller did not recommend any further indictments, a senior Justice Department official said, signalling there might be no more criminal charges against Trump associates arising from the investigation. Mueller brought charges against 34 people and three companies over the course of his investigation, with prison sentences for some of Trump's former aides.

Trump's convicted former personal lawyer Michael Cohen implicated the president in his guilty plea on campaign finance violations in a separate prosecution brought by federal prosecutors in New York.

Barr, who took office in February, was appointed by Trump after the president fired his predecessor Jeff Sessions in November. The White House has not received or been briefed on the report, spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said on Friday, adding that "we look forward to the process taking its course."

Civil liberties privacy group the Electronic Privacy Information Center filed a Freedom of Information Request lawsuit against the Justice Department to obtain the report.

By handing over the long-awaited report to Barr, Mueller marked the end of his work, with his spokesman saying the 74-year-old former FBI director would conclude his service in the coming days.

Trump has denied collusion and obstruction. Russia has denied election interference. Trump has sought to discredit the investigation, calling it a "witch hunt" and accusing Mueller of conflicts of interest. But he said on Wednesday he does not mind if the public is allowed to see the report.

Trump aides, including his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, national security adviser Michael Flynn and personal lawyer Cohen, have already either been convicted or pleaded guilty to charges brought by Mueller.

None of those charges, however, directly related to the question of collusion between the campaign and Moscow. The Justice Department has a policy that sitting presidents cannot face criminal charges.

House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, the two top Democrats in Congress, said it was "imperative" the full report be made public, that Barr not give Trump and his team a "sneak preview" of the findings, and that the White House not be allowed to interfere in decisions about what parts are made public.

They said the investigation focused on questions that "go to the integrity of our democracy itself: whether foreign powers corruptly interfered in our elections, and whether unlawful means were used to hinder that investigation."

'Openness and transparency'

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, the top Republican in Congress, said, "The attorney general has said he intends to provide as much information as possible. As I have said previously, I sincerely hope he will do so as soon as he can, and with as much openness and transparency as possible."

Representative Steve Scalise, the No. 2 House Republican and a strong ally of the president, expressed confidence the report would not find collusion with Russia.

"The reports that there will be no new indictments confirm what we've known all along: there was never any collusion with Russia. The only collusion was between Democrats and many in the media who peddled this lie because they continue to refuse to accept the results of the 2016 election," Scalise said.

Even if the Mueller report exonerates Trump, that may not spell the end to his legal troubles. Cohen pleaded guilty in August to campaign finance violations in a case overseen by federal prosecutors in Manhattan, who said in court filings that Cohen carried out the crimes at the direction of Trump.

The US Attorney's Office in Manhattan is also looking at the spending of Trump's inaugural committee and business practices at the Trump Organization, the family's company.

US intelligence agencies have concluded that Moscow meddled in the election with a campaign of email hacking and online propaganda aimed at sowing discord in the United States, hurting Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and helping Trump.

A small number of House Democrats have pushed for Congress to impeach Trump and remove him from office but the party's leadership including Pelosi has urged caution. No president has ever been removed from office via impeachment.

Several House committees in the meantime are conducting aggressive investigations of Trump and people around him.

The main findings could be released as early as Saturday of a 22-month investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into Russia's role in the 2016 US election and any potential wrongdoing by President Donald Trump, whose legal woes go beyond the end of the inquiry.

The main findings could be released as early as Saturday of a 22-month investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into Russia's role in the 2016 US election and any potential wrongdoing by President Donald Trump, whose legal woes go beyond the end of the inquiry. US Attorney General William Barr, who received a report on Friday from Mueller, told lawmakers in a letter that he may be able to inform them of Mueller's "principal conclusions as soon as this weekend." Under Department of Justice regulations, Barr is empowered to decide how much to disclose publicly and he said in the letter that he is "committed to as much transparency as possible." Barr arrived at the department building in Washington shortly before 10 am (1400 GMT) on Saturday. He was reviewing the report, a Justice Department official said. Democrats on the US House of Representatives Judiciary Committee scheduled a 2 pm (1800 GMT) conference call to talk about next steps and messaging, congressional aides said. The 235 members of the Democratic caucus in the House have scheduled a 3 pm (1900 GMT) call, a senior Democratic aide said. Trump, who is spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, has not commented to reporters or taken to Twitter, one of his favourite ways of communicating, on the completion of the investigation that has cast a shadow over the Republican's two years in the White House. Trump had no public events scheduled on Saturday and was at his golf course in the morning. A large pro-Trump float pulled on a flatbed truck parked at the golf course about an hour after he arrived, adorned with American flags and "Trump 2020" signs. Political analysts expect the Mueller report to have an impact on how Democrats campaign to prevent Republican Trump being reelected. The big question is whether the report contains allegations of wrongdoing by Trump or exonerates him. Mueller investigated whether Trump's campaign conspired with Moscow to try to influence the election and whether the Republican president later unlawfully tried to obstruct his investigation. Mueller did not recommend any further indictments, a senior Justice Department official said, signalling there might be no more criminal charges against Trump associates arising from the investigation. Mueller brought charges against 34 people and three companies over the course of his investigation, with prison sentences for some of Trump's former aides. Trump's convicted former personal lawyer Michael Cohen implicated the president in his guilty plea on campaign finance violations in a separate prosecution brought by federal prosecutors in New York. Barr, who took office in February, was appointed by Trump after the president fired his predecessor Jeff Sessions in November. The White House has not received or been briefed on the report, spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said on Friday, adding that "we look forward to the process taking its course." Civil liberties privacy group the Electronic Privacy Information Center filed a Freedom of Information Request lawsuit against the Justice Department to obtain the report. By handing over the long-awaited report to Barr, Mueller marked the end of his work, with his spokesman saying the 74-year-old former FBI director would conclude his service in the coming days. Trump has denied collusion and obstruction. Russia has denied election interference. Trump has sought to discredit the investigation, calling it a "witch hunt" and accusing Mueller of conflicts of interest. But he said on Wednesday he does not mind if the public is allowed to see the report. Trump aides, including his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, national security adviser Michael Flynn and personal lawyer Cohen, have already either been convicted or pleaded guilty to charges brought by Mueller. None of those charges, however, directly related to the question of collusion between the campaign and Moscow. The Justice Department has a policy that sitting presidents cannot face criminal charges. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, the two top Democrats in Congress, said it was "imperative" the full report be made public, that Barr not give Trump and his team a "sneak preview" of the findings, and that the White House not be allowed to interfere in decisions about what parts are made public. They said the investigation focused on questions that "go to the integrity of our democracy itself: whether foreign powers corruptly interfered in our elections, and whether unlawful means were used to hinder that investigation." 'Openness and transparency' Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, the top Republican in Congress, said, "The attorney general has said he intends to provide as much information as possible. As I have said previously, I sincerely hope he will do so as soon as he can, and with as much openness and transparency as possible." Representative Steve Scalise, the No. 2 House Republican and a strong ally of the president, expressed confidence the report would not find collusion with Russia. "The reports that there will be no new indictments confirm what we've known all along: there was never any collusion with Russia. The only collusion was between Democrats and many in the media who peddled this lie because they continue to refuse to accept the results of the 2016 election," Scalise said. Even if the Mueller report exonerates Trump, that may not spell the end to his legal troubles. Cohen pleaded guilty in August to campaign finance violations in a case overseen by federal prosecutors in Manhattan, who said in court filings that Cohen carried out the crimes at the direction of Trump. The US Attorney's Office in Manhattan is also looking at the spending of Trump's inaugural committee and business practices at the Trump Organization, the family's company. US intelligence agencies have concluded that Moscow meddled in the election with a campaign of email hacking and online propaganda aimed at sowing discord in the United States, hurting Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and helping Trump. A small number of House Democrats have pushed for Congress to impeach Trump and remove him from office but the party's leadership including Pelosi has urged caution. No president has ever been removed from office via impeachment. Several House committees in the meantime are conducting aggressive investigations of Trump and people around him.

Trump-Russia report main findings awaited, US lawmakers seek quick public release

A timeline of the Mueller probe

US President Donald Trump's former campaign chief Paul Manafort was sentenced to 47 months in prison Thursday for tax crimes and bank fraud.

It was the stiffest sentence yet given to an associate of the president in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian election meddling -- but significantly lighter than many expected for the 69-year-old political consultant.

In a rebuff to Mueller's call for stiff punishment, the judge called the official guidelines for a prison sentence of 19 to 24 years "excessive."

But Manafort still faces sentencing in a second case in Washington next week, where the maximum penalty is 10 years and the judge has appeared more sympathetic to prosecutors.&nbsp;

The charges involved Manafort's work for 10 years on behalf of Moscow-allied politicians in Ukraine, and nothing related to the 2016 election -- a<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/lawyers-for-former-trump-campaign-chief-paul-manafort-argue-for-leniency-200653">n issue he argued in asking the court for leniency</a>.

Prosecutors alleged that Manafort used offshore bank accounts in Cyprus to hide more than $55 million from Ukrainian politicians from the tax authorities.

He is one of six top advisors and associates of Trump's 2016 presidential election campaign to be charged in the Mueller investigation.

During Manafort's trial, much of the damaging testimony against him was provided by his former deputy Rick Gates, who is awaiting sentencing after reaching a plea agreement with the Special Counsel's office.

Besides Manafort and Gates, four other former Trump associates face charges or have pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the Mueller investigation.

Former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russian officials and is awaiting sentencing.

Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen is to begin serving a three-year prison sentence on May 6 for fraud, tax evasion, illegal campaign contributions and lying to Congress.

George Papadopoulos, a foreign policy advisor to the Trump campaign, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and was sentenced to two weeks in prison.

Another Trump advisor, Roger Stone, awaits trial.

US President Donald Trump's former campaign chief Paul Manafort was sentenced to 47 months in prison Thursday for tax crimes and bank fraud. It was the stiffest sentence yet given to an associate of the president in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian election meddling -- but significantly lighter than many expected for the 69-year-old political consultant.

US President Donald Trump's former campaign chief Paul Manafort was sentenced to 47 months in prison Thursday for tax crimes and bank fraud. It was the stiffest sentence yet given to an associate of the president in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian election meddling -- but significantly lighter than many expected for the 69-year-old political consultant. In a rebuff to Mueller's call for stiff punishment, the judge called the official guidelines for a prison sentence of 19 to 24 years "excessive." But Manafort still faces sentencing in a second case in Washington next week, where the maximum penalty is 10 years and the judge has appeared more sympathetic to prosecutors. The charges involved Manafort's work for 10 years on behalf of Moscow-allied politicians in Ukraine, and nothing related to the 2016 election -- an issue he argued in asking the court for leniency. Prosecutors alleged that Manafort used offshore bank accounts in Cyprus to hide more than $55 million from Ukrainian politicians from the tax authorities. He is one of six top advisors and associates of Trump's 2016 presidential election campaign to be charged in the Mueller investigation. During Manafort's trial, much of the damaging testimony against him was provided by his former deputy Rick Gates, who is awaiting sentencing after reaching a plea agreement with the Special Counsel's office. Besides Manafort and Gates, four other former Trump associates face charges or have pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the Mueller investigation. Former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russian officials and is awaiting sentencing. Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen is to begin serving a three-year prison sentence on May 6 for fraud, tax evasion, illegal campaign contributions and lying to Congress. George Papadopoulos, a foreign policy advisor to the Trump campaign, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and was sentenced to two weeks in prison. Another Trump advisor, Roger Stone, awaits trial.

Trump ex-campaign chief Paul Manafort sentenced to 47 months in prison for tax crimes, bank fraud

Democrats in the US House of Representatives have quietly tweaked a rule on taking secret depositions that is likely to give a boost to their investigations of President Donald Trump, his personal finances and his administration.

The little-noticed change, made since the Democrats took over majority control of the House earlier this month, will let staffers of House investigative committees take testimony from subpoenaed witnesses without a lawmaker being present.

By eliminating complications with lawmakers' schedules, the change will let staffers work faster and range more widely said former staffers and sources inside the committees that are launching several inquiries into Trump and his presidency.

The importance of this was underscored, legal experts said when attorney general nominee William Barr indicated last week that he was unlikely to release the final report from Special Counsel Robert Mueller to lawmakers in its original format.

Mueller has been probing for many months Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, any collusion between Moscow and Trump's campaign, and obstruction of justice. If Barr is confirmed and holds back on Mueller's report, the rule change may help House investigators rapidly replicate Mueller's work.

"Dropping the member requirement will give much more power to staff investigators in different committees, which will lead to increasingly dispersed and now unsupervised authority for investigations," said Kristina Moore, a managing director at FTI Consulting and a former investigator for the House Oversight Committee when it was chaired by Republican Darrell Issa.

"This change to the House rules represents a further expansion of the majority's oversight and investigations targets, for which everyone in the private sector needs to prepare," Moore said.

The government shutdown caused by a standoff between Trump and Democrats over his proposed US-Mexico border wall has been centre-stage in Washington for weeks, but Democrats have been moving ahead on plans to probe Trump and his administration.

On February 7, former Trump personal attorney Michael Cohen is scheduled to testify to the House Oversight Committee, now chaired by Democrat Elijah Cummings. On the next day, acting US Attorney General Matthew Whitaker is slated to testify to the House Judiciary Committee.

Change from Republican rule

When the Republicans controlled the House, up until early January, a lawmaker from the committee that issued the subpoena had to be present for a witness deposition. That sometimes presented challenges, said current and former aides.

For example, when witnesses in New York were being interviewed by the House Intelligence Committee over the past two years, lawmakers had to travel with staff to conduct the questioning, one aide said.

Getting lawmakers to sit through long interviews of low-profile witnesses, even ones with valuable information could also be difficult, the aide said.

The rule change was requested by the House Oversight Committee, said several congressional aides said. But it will also affect the work of other investigative panels, such as the Intelligence and Judiciary committees.

Andy Wright, former associate counsel to President Barack Obama, said the heads of the House investigative committees will be able to subpoena all the witnesses who gave grand jury testimony for Mueller.

"So now a subpoena for deposition can be conducted by staff," he said. "More depositions in a shorter time and fewer steps between request and contempt."

Democrats in the US House of Representatives have quietly tweaked a rule on taking secret depositions that is likely to give a boost to their investigations of President Donald Trump, his personal finances and his administration.

Democrats in the US House of Representatives have quietly tweaked a rule on taking secret depositions that is likely to give a boost to their investigations of President Donald Trump, his personal finances and his administration. The little-noticed change, made since the Democrats took over majority control of the House earlier this month, will let staffers of House investigative committees take testimony from subpoenaed witnesses without a lawmaker being present. By eliminating complications with lawmakers' schedules, the change will let staffers work faster and range more widely said former staffers and sources inside the committees that are launching several inquiries into Trump and his presidency. The importance of this was underscored, legal experts said when attorney general nominee William Barr indicated last week that he was unlikely to release the final report from Special Counsel Robert Mueller to lawmakers in its original format. Mueller has been probing for many months Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, any collusion between Moscow and Trump's campaign, and obstruction of justice. If Barr is confirmed and holds back on Mueller's report, the rule change may help House investigators rapidly replicate Mueller's work. "Dropping the member requirement will give much more power to staff investigators in different committees, which will lead to increasingly dispersed and now unsupervised authority for investigations," said Kristina Moore, a managing director at FTI Consulting and a former investigator for the House Oversight Committee when it was chaired by Republican Darrell Issa. "This change to the House rules represents a further expansion of the majority's oversight and investigations targets, for which everyone in the private sector needs to prepare," Moore said. The government shutdown caused by a standoff between Trump and Democrats over his proposed US-Mexico border wall has been centre-stage in Washington for weeks, but Democrats have been moving ahead on plans to probe Trump and his administration. On February 7, former Trump personal attorney Michael Cohen is scheduled to testify to the House Oversight Committee, now chaired by Democrat Elijah Cummings. On the next day, acting US Attorney General Matthew Whitaker is slated to testify to the House Judiciary Committee. Change from Republican rule When the Republicans controlled the House, up until early January, a lawmaker from the committee that issued the subpoena had to be present for a witness deposition. That sometimes presented challenges, said current and former aides. For example, when witnesses in New York were being interviewed by the House Intelligence Committee over the past two years, lawmakers had to travel with staff to conduct the questioning, one aide said. Getting lawmakers to sit through long interviews of low-profile witnesses, even ones with valuable information could also be difficult, the aide said. The rule change was requested by the House Oversight Committee, said several congressional aides said. But it will also affect the work of other investigative panels, such as the Intelligence and Judiciary committees. Andy Wright, former associate counsel to President Barack Obama, said the heads of the House investigative committees will be able to subpoena all the witnesses who gave grand jury testimony for Mueller. "So now a subpoena for deposition can be conducted by staff," he said. "More depositions in a shorter time and fewer steps between request and contempt."

US House Democrats tweaks rule of taking secret depositions to boost Trump probes

Donald Trump has <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-ex-lawyer-cohen-cooperating-mueller-probe-166903">transmitted his written responses </a>to questions by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election that brought the president to office.

"The president today answered written questions submitted by the Special Counsel's office. The questions presented dealt with issues regarding the Russia-related topics of the inquiry," attorney Jay Sekulow was widely quoted by US media as saying.

"The president responded in writing."

Trump - who has repeatedly criticised Mueller's investigation, which is especially concerned with whether his campaign colluded with Russia - also confirmed that the written answers had been completed.

"The written answers to the witch hunt that's been going on forever - no collusion, no nothing - they've been finished, finished 'em yesterday," Trump told reporters.

"The lawyers have them. I assume they'll turn them in today or soon."

The president had fired attorney general Jeff Sessions earlier this month and temporarily replaced him with Matthew Whitaker, who has been critical of the Mueller investigation.

Donald Trump has transmitted his written responses to questions by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election that brought the president to office.

Donald Trump has transmitted his written responses to questions by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election that brought the president to office. "The president today answered written questions submitted by the Special Counsel's office. The questions presented dealt with issues regarding the Russia-related topics of the inquiry," attorney Jay Sekulow was widely quoted by US media as saying. "The president responded in writing." Trump - who has repeatedly criticised Mueller's investigation, which is especially concerned with whether his campaign colluded with Russia - also confirmed that the written answers had been completed. "The written answers to the witch hunt that's been going on forever - no collusion, no nothing - they've been finished, finished 'em yesterday," Trump told reporters. "The lawyers have them. I assume they'll turn them in today or soon." The president had fired attorney general Jeff Sessions earlier this month and temporarily replaced him with Matthew Whitaker, who has been critical of the Mueller investigation.

Trump sends written responses to Robert Mueller in Russia probe

The federal probe into the Russian meddling in the US elections led by special counsel &nbsp;Robert Mueller is gathering pace with the naming of a grand jury to examine the veracity of the evidence against the Trump campaign officials being in touch with Russia to favour a Trump victory.

According to US media reports, the grand jury has issued subpoenas related to a meeting that Donald Trump&#39;s son Trump Jr and son-in-law <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/jared-kushner-sought-secret-communications-line-with-russia-report-16095">Jared Kushner held last year with a Russian attorney</a> who had promised incriminating material&nbsp;against Hillary Clinton.

Donald Trump has lashed out at the move saying that the 2016 <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russia-probe-greatest-witch-hunt-in-american-political-history-trump-15753">Russian interference story is a &quot;total fabrication&quot;</a>.

&quot;We didn&#39;t win because of Russia. We won because of you,&quot; Trump said at a campaign-style rally in West Virginia.

The setting up of a grand jury is a significant development in the probe as it could lead to criminal indictments.

&quot;It&#39;s a significant escalation of the process,&quot; national security attorney Bradley Moss told AFP.&nbsp;

&quot;You don&#39;t impanel a grand jury unless your investigation has discovered enough evidence that you feel reflects a violation of at least one, if not more, criminal provisions,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the president was not likely the subject of the investigation, AFP reported.

(With inputs from agencies)

Donald Trump has lashed out at the move saying that the 2016 Russian interference story is a 'total fabrication'

The federal probe into the Russian meddling in the US elections led by special counsel Robert Mueller is gathering pace with the naming of a grand jury to examine the veracity of the evidence against the Trump campaign officials being in touch with Russia to favour a Trump victory. According to US media reports, the grand jury has issued subpoenas related to a meeting that Donald Trump's son Trump Jr and son-in-law Jared Kushner held last year with a Russian attorney who had promised incriminating material against Hillary Clinton. Donald Trump has lashed out at the move saying that the 2016 Russian interference story is a "total fabrication". "We didn't win because of Russia. We won because of you," Trump said at a campaign-style rally in West Virginia. The setting up of a grand jury is a significant development in the probe as it could lead to criminal indictments. "It's a significant escalation of the process," national security attorney Bradley Moss told AFP. "You don't impanel a grand jury unless your investigation has discovered enough evidence that you feel reflects a violation of at least one, if not more, criminal provisions," he said. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the president was not likely the subject of the investigation, AFP reported. (With inputs from agencies)

Trump-Russia probe: Grand jury set up, subpoenas issued