President Donald Trump’s lawyers are preparing written responses to questions from Special Counsel Robert Mueller regarding possible collusion with Russia.
The move, first reported by CNN, marks a major advance in negotiations between Trump’s attorneys and Mueller’s team and could signal that the investigation is entering its final phases.
The two sides have battled for months over whether Trump would appear for an interview with Mueller’s prosecutors or submit answers in writing. Trump’s legal team, led by Jay Sekulow and Rudy Giuliani, have also pushed for a narrow set of questions to be posed to Trump.
Mueller, who was appointed special counsel on May 17, 2017, is investigating whether the Trump campaign conspired with Russians to influence the 2016 election as well whether Trump obstructed justice by firing James Comey as FBI director.
Comey’s firing, on May 9, 2017, paved the way for Mueller’s appointment.
Trump’s lawyers have reportedly pushed to avoid dealing with questions about obstruction of justice. Giuliani, the public face of Trump’s legal team, has argued that Trump was allowed to fire Comey for any reason he saw fit.
In April, The New York Times published a list of nearly 50 questions that Mueller presented the Trump team. The questions covered a wide array of topics, including activities on the campaign as well as the firing of Michael Flynn as national security adviser. (RELATED: Here Are The 48 Questions Mueller Wants To Ask Trump)
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