Mueller probe not good for Trump: Bernstein

Published January 16, 2019
This combination of pictures created on January 8, 2018 shows files photos of FBI Director Robert Mueller (L) on June 19, 2013, in Washington, DC; and US President Donald Trump on December 15, 2017, in Washington, DC. ─ AFP/File
This combination of pictures created on January 8, 2018 shows files photos of FBI Director Robert Mueller (L) on June 19, 2013, in Washington, DC; and US President Donald Trump on December 15, 2017, in Washington, DC. ─ AFP/File

NEW YORK: One of the questions special counsel Robert Mueller is trying to answer is whether any obstruction by President Donald Trump furthered Moscow’s interests, Carl Bernstein of Watergate fame said in an interview with CNN on Sunday.

“I know where Mr Mueller’s investigation is going to end up, and it’s not looking good for Trump,” Mr Bernstein said on the network’s Reliable Sources programme.

Carl Bernstein is best known for his investigative reporting that shed light on the Watergate scandal leading to former president Richard Nixon’s resignation in 1974.

The day after Trump fired FBI director James Comey in 2017, an inquiry by a counter-intelligence agency and the FBI’s broader Russia investigation were clubbed together. Robert Mueller was appointed to lead the probe.

In a report last week, Washington Post reported President Trump took steps to protect his conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and on at least one occasion pressured a translator to shred notes he had taken during discussions between the two leaders.

He said Trump’s “lies” were all about Russia and suggested lawyers working with the White House told him they believe he hasn’t told the truth on a number of matters related to Russia.

“Part of what I know comes from lawyers of some of the other defendants, including members of the joint defence team which collaborates with White House, and those lawyers believe the president has been lying at every turn about his relationship with Russia,” Bernstein said.

“Look, let us look at all of the lies, follow the money, follow the lies. They are all mostly and most vehemently about Russia. Whether we are talking about [Michael] Flynn, Trump, his son, [Jared] Kushner, back to lying about questions having to do with Russia, about what happened at the Trump Tower meeting (between Trump and some Russains).”

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2019

Opinion

Editorial

Smog hazard
05 Nov, 2024

Smog hazard

THE Punjab government would be keen to forget its first year of treating smog as ‘a year-round epidemic’ instead...
Monetary policy
05 Nov, 2024

Monetary policy

IN an aggressive move, the State Bank on Monday reduced its key policy rate by a hefty 250bps to 15pc. This is the...
Cultural power
05 Nov, 2024

Cultural power

AS vital modes of communication, art and culture have the power to overcome social and international barriers....
Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.