Rep. Adam Schiff, ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, shot back at President Trump for suggesting Wednesday that he would be resistant to special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigating his personal finances as part of the Russia probe.
“Mueller has authority to investigate any ties Trump family has to Russia, including financial, and anything that arises,” Schiff, D-Calif., tweeted. “That is his duty.”
FBI Director does not report to the President on specific cases. Someone needs to counsel Mr. Trump on independence of Justice Department.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) July 20, 2017
The New York Times asked Trump in an interview published Wednesday what he would think if Mueller looked into the president’s family finances beyond Russia as part of his investigation of Moscow’s election interference and possible ties to the Trump campaign.
Trump said that if Mueller took such an action, it would represent the crossing of a red line.
“Look, this is about Russia,” Trump said, according to a partial transcript of the conversation published by the Times. “So I think if he wants to go, my finances are extremely good, my company is an unbelievably successful company.”
The president also downplayed his business ties to Russia.
“I mean, it’s possible there’s a condo or something, so, you know, I sell a lot of condo units, and somebody from Russia buys a condo, who knows?” Trump said. “I don’t make money from Russia. In fact, I put out a letter saying that I don’t make — from one of the most highly respected law firms, accounting firms. I don’t have buildings in Russia. They said I own buildings in Russia. I don’t. They said I made money from Russia. I don’t. It’s not my thing. I don’t, I don’t do that. Over the years, I’ve looked at maybe doing a deal in Russia, but I never did one. Other than I held the Miss Universe pageant there eight, nine years [ago].”
Trump did not say he is thinking of dismissing Mueller, despite his concerns about the scope of the probe.
