Dem Rep: ‘Deeply troubling’ Trump asked aides about Mueller interviews

Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) said on Wednesday it was “deeply troubling” that President Trump reportedly asked his aides about their interviews with special counsel Robert Mueller. 

“That report is deeply troubling. The president knows there’s an ongoing investigation by a special counsel. It is completely improper for him to interrogate witnesses after they have provided testimony to the special counsel,” Connolly told CNN’s Erin Burnett. 

{mosads}”We saw this before in Watergate, and Richard Nixon was accused of suborning perjury. You cannot tamper with witnesses, you can’t interrogate witnesses, and you can’t counsel them on what they should say the next time they’re called before the special counsel,” he continued. “This is far beyond indiscreet. This is active interference with an ongoing investigation.”

The New York Times reported on Wednesday that Trump asked at least two witnesses interviewed by Mueller for information about what they talked about during their meeting with Mueller’s team. 

The publication reports that the president told White House counsel Don McGahn he should release a statement denying a previous Times report that said Mueller’s team had learned the president once asked McGahn to fire Mueller. 

Trump also reportedly asked former White House chief of staff, Reince Priebus, how his interview with Mueller went, and if it was “nice.”

Mueller is in the process of investigating alleged ties between the Trump campaign and Russian election meddling in 2016. 

The probe has also looked into whether the president has attempted to obstruct the investigation. 

Trump frequently refers to the probe as a political “witch hunt,” and has denied collusion between his campaign and the Kremlin.