Mueller probe 'close to being completed':
acting U.S. attorney general
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[January 29, 2019]
By Andy Sullivan, Sarah N. Lynch and Lisa Lambert
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Special Counsel
Robert Mueller's probe of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election is
close to wrapping up, Acting U.S. Attorney General Matthew Whitaker told
reporters on Monday.
"I've been fully briefed on the investigation and I look forward to
Director Mueller delivering the final report," he said at a press
conference on U.S. charges against China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd.
"Right now the investigation is I think close to being completed and I
hope that we can get the report from Director Mueller as soon as
possible."
Whitaker's comments mark the first time a top government official with
knowledge of the investigation has publicly confirmed the probe is in
its final stages.
Media outlets have reported that Mueller's office could be close to
issuing a final report on his investigation.
But Mueller has been tight-lipped about when the months of closed-door
grand jury sessions and criminal charges will conclude, leaving
questions over how far into the White House his probe will reach and
what will happen to his findings.
Mueller's investigation most recently ensnared a long-time confidant of
President Donald Trump, political operative Roger Stone.
Others in Trump's orbit have also been charged in the probe, including
Trump's former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, his former campaign
deputy, Richard Gates, and his former national security adviser, Michael
Flynn.
Trump's nominee to fill the attorney general post permanently, William
Barr, recently pledged to make public as much of the report as possible,
saying Mueller is required to file it confidentially.
But Barr has declined to pledge to release Mueller's report in its
entirety, saying that some portions might need to remain confidential,
such as decisions not to charge certain individuals.
Russia denies any wrongdoing in the 2016 election. Trump has repeatedly
said he was not involved in any collusion with Russia and has often
referred to the probe as a "witch hunt."
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![](../images/012918pics/news_s37.jpg)
Special Counsel Robert Mueller departs after briefing the U.S. House
Intelligence Committee on his investigation of potential collusion
between Russia and the Trump campaign on Capitol Hill in Washington,
U.S., June 20, 2017. REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein/File Photo
![](../images/ads/current/fitzpatrick_lda_SPONSOR_2017.png)
Whitaker's comments about the Mueller investigation are likely to
trigger further inquiries from Democrats who have accused him of
being illegally appointed and failing to heed ethics advice
suggesting he should recuse himself from overseeing the Mueller
investigation.
He is due to appear before the House Judiciary Committee on February
8, where he is expected to be peppered with questions over his role
in the Mueller probe and whether he has taken steps to narrow it or
limit what Mueller can investigate.
Whitaker was installed as acting attorney general in November, after
Trump ousted Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Prior to joining the Justice Department as Sessions’ chief of staff
in 2017, Whitaker served as a conservative media pundit and made
multiple comments raising skepticism about Mueller’s investigation.
Those comments, coupled with Whitaker’s friendship with Trump’s 2016
election co-chair, Sam Clovis, have raised questions about whether
Whitaker should recuse himself.
At Monday's press conference, Whitaker publicly addressed questions
about his past statements on the Mueller probe, saying he made those
comments as a private citizen who had access only to publicly
available information.
(Reporting by Andy Sullivan and Sarah N. Lynch; Writing by Lisa
Lambert; editing by Dan Grebler)
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