In a “first,” for Robert Mueller’s investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, the special counsel has subpoenaed Steve Bannon to testify before a grand jury.
New York Times reports:
Stephen K. Bannon, President Trump’s former chief strategist, was subpoenaed last week by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, to testify before a grand jury as part of the investigation into possible links between Mr. Trump’s associates and Russia, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter.
The move marked the first time Mr. Mueller is known to have used a grand jury subpoena to seek information from a member of Mr. Trump’s inner circle. […]
The subpoena could be a negotiating tactic. Mr. Mueller is likely to allow Mr. Bannon to forgo the grand jury appearance if he agrees to instead be questioned by investigators in the less formal setting of the special counsel’s offices about ties between Mr. Trump’s associates and Russia and about the president’s conduct in office, according to the person, who would not be named discussing the case.
According to the New York Times, Mueller zeroing in on Bannon demonstrates the former Chief White House Strategist is not the main focus of the Russia probe.
On Tuesday, Bannon testified before the House Intelligence Committee investigating alleged Trump-Russia collusion.
Former White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon arrives on Capitol Hill for closed door meeting with the House Intelligence Committee. https://t.co/1fPOiPr3wM pic.twitter.com/YzzfCG42FU
— ABC News (@ABC) January 16, 2018
Steve Bannon recently stepped down from his post as the executive chairman of Breitbart News.
Bannon helped build Breitbart into the largest conservative online publication in the world.
The move came amid immense blowback after Bannon branded Donald Trump Jr.’s meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya at Trump Tower “treasonous.”
