A bombshell new report in the New York Times just revealed that a former top Trump staffer took notes that might sink his presidency in the eyes of Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
President Trump is under a criminal obstruction of justice investigation by Mueller’s team after firing FBI Director James Comey, whom he repeatedly pressed to drop the Flynn and Russia investigations. Trump told both NBC News’ Lester Holt and the Russians that he felt relieved from Comey’s Russia investigation after the termination.
Now, the Times reports that Trump’s former Chief of Staff Reince Priebus also took written notes while in the White House, and now they’re in the hands of Special Counsel Mueller and his team.
The special counsel has received handwritten notes from Mr. Trump’s former chief of staff, Reince Priebus, showing that Mr. Trump talked to Mr. Priebus about how he had called Mr. Comey to urge him to say publicly that he was not under investigation.
The former FBI Director testified to Congress last June (transcript) about the President’s advances and that he wrote memos describing all interactions with Trump dating back to their first encounter before inauguration day. (video below)
James Comey’s congressional testimony is already Mueller’s top item of evidence in the obstruction case, and we learned later last summer that there are up to 10 other senior FBI officials who may testify against the President.
In September, an Axios report said that fired White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer’s notebooks were filled with copious notes, which he confirmed to be his practice during the campaign in a sworn federal court deposition. (see page 24)
But the Times‘ exclusive tonight names the very publicly and unceremoniously fired former RNC Chairman Priebus to be the first named White House official whose testimony based on notes in the hands of Meuller’s team could provide damning evidence that corroborates Comey’s story.
Special Counsel Mueller interviewed Reince Priebus last October, but the Times report tonight doesn’t specify when the prosecutor’s team acquired his notes.
If Priebus was honest with Mueller, then he may have nothing to fear from investigators as the primary witness against Trump.
If not, Priebus could very well join the growing parade of former Trump campaign and White House officials to plead guilty and cooperate with Special Counsel Mueller.
Here is a three-minute video of former FBI Director James Comey’s bombshell testimony which describes the basis of Special Counsel Mueller’s obstruction of justice investigation:
