Pence on Mueller probe: 'I think it's time to wrap it up'
Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday called for Special Counsel Robert Mueller to finish his probe into the Trump campaign’s relationship with Russia during the 2016 election, saying he should do so “in the interest of the country.”
(AP Photo/Karel Navarro)
Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday called for Special Counsel Robert Mueller to finish his probe into Russian interference during the 2016 election, saying he should do so “in the interest of the country.”
“It’s been about a year since this investigation began,” Pence told NBC’s Andrea Mitchell. “Our administration has provided more than a million documents, we’ve fully cooperated in it, and in the interest of the country, I think it’s time to wrap it up.”
Mueller is probing whether any Trump associates colluded with Russia during the 2016 campaign, among other issues involving the president’s aides.
President Trump has repeatedly said no collusion took place. But the sprawling investigation has ensnared a number of former Trump advisers, including former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
“I would very respectfully encourage the Special Counsel and his team to bring their work to completion,” Pence said Thursday.
Pence’s comments comes amid speculation over whether President Trump will sit for an interview with Mueller.
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Rudy Giuliani, a member of Trump’s legal team, has signaled the president’s lawyers are still open to doing an interview – but he acknowledged he is concerned about whether Mueller’s team can be objective.
“Namely, do they have an open mind to the fact he could be telling the truth and Comey may be lying?” Giuliani said last week. “If they have an open mind to that, this is something we'd consider. If they don't, then given all the irregularities of this investigation, we would be foolish to have him be interviewed.”
Giuliani has also said things are also made more difficult by the president’s schedule. Trump announced Thursday that his high-profile summit will take place next month in Singapore with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
“How can we take three, four hours, three, four days out of that schedule?” Giuliani asked. “To prepare him for a deposition when he should be preparing to go to North Korea.”