Trump-Russia probe expanded to include former Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort

The special counsel investigating possible ties between President Donald Trump 's campaign and Russia 's government has taken over a separate criminal probe involving former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, and may expand his inquiry to investigate the roles of the attorney general and deputy attorney general in the firing of FBI Director James Comey , The Associated Press has learned. The Justice Department's criminal investigation into Manafort, who was forced to resign as Trump campaign chairman in August amid questions over his business dealings years ago in Ukraine, predated the 2016 election and the counterintelligence probe that in July began investigating possible collusion between Moscow and associates of Trump.

Special counsel’s Trump investigation includes Manafort case

The special counsel investigating possible ties between President Donald Trump's campaign and Russia's government has taken over a separate criminal probe involving former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, and may expand his inquiry to investigate the roles of the attorney general and deputy attorney general in the firing of FBI Director James Comey, The Associated Press has learned. The Justice Department's criminal investigation into Manafort, who was forced to resign as Trump campaign chairman in August amid questions over his business dealings years ago in Ukraine, predated the 2016 election and the counterintelligence probe that in July began investigating possible collusion between Moscow and associates of Trump.

Analysis: The Trouble With Trump’s Uneven Approach to Transparency

In January, Donald Trump and his lawyer Sheri Dillon held a press conference at which they laid out a plan for how the president would distance himself from his businesses. Among the steps they presented was a means to address concerns that foreign governments and leaders may attempt to curry favor with the president by staying at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. This, ethics experts said , would violate the Constitution's Emoluments Clause, which states that government officials cannot "accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State."

FBI misses House committee’s deadline for providing Comey’s Trump memos

The FBI declined to hand over memos regarding former FBI Director James Comey's communications with President Trump to the House Oversight Committee Thursday, and said it needs more time to evaluate how the special counsel investigation into possible collusion between Trump's campaign and Russia affects the committee's request for information. In a letter released Thursday, Assistant Director Gregory Brower, in the FBI's Office of Congressional Affairs, told committee chairman Rep. Jason Chaffetz the special counsel investigation means more "consultation" is needed before any documents are released.

Cummings recovering from ‘minimally invasive’ heart surgery

Rep. Elijah Cummings underwent "minimally invasive" heart surgery on Wednesday and will be recovering in a Baltimore hospital for the next few days, the lawmaker's office said in a statement Thursday. Cummings, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, will recover in at Johns Hopkins Hospital before returning "to his normal schedule," the statement said.

Senate Intel leaders: Door open to holding Flynn in contempt after invoking Fifth Amendment

The top two leaders of the Senate intelligence committee are leaving the door open to holding Michael Flynn in contempt of Congress after President Trump's former national security adviser said he would invoke his Fifth Amendment rights rather than comply with a subpoena. Sen. Richard Burr, the chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, said the panel was reviewing a range of options to compel Flynn to disclose records about his meetings with Russian officials, including holding Flynn in contempt.

Flynn rejects Trump-Russia probe subpoena

President Donald Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in rebuffing a subpoena Monday in the investigation into Russia's election meddling. Then a top House Democrat cited new evidence he said appeared to show Flynn lied on a security clearance background check.

House Democrat: Flynn misled Pentagon on Russia ties during security clearance review

Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn , who was fired in February for misleading Vice President Mike Pence and other officials about his conversations with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. In photo, Pence, left, and Flynn shake hands before the start of the President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe joint news conference in the East Room of the White House, in Washington, Feb. 10, 2017.

House Democrat: Flynn lied about Russia ties to renew security clearance

Former White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn appears to have lied to federal investigators last year about who paid for his 2015 trip to Moscow, during a Defense Department inquiry into the renewal of his top secret security clearance, a leading Capitol Hill Democrat said Monday. Rep. Elijah Cummings, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said he intended to turn his information about Flynn over to Robert Mueller, named last week as a Department of Justice special counsel charged with investigating Russia's meddling in the 2016 election.

Dems: New documents show Flynn lied to investigators about Russian trips

A new letter from the leading Democrat on the House oversight committee, Rep. Elijah Cummings, reveals new information about former national security adviser Michael Flynn and what he told investigators about his ties to foreign governments when he was interviewed about his security clearance. According to the Report of Investigation, which Cummings refers to in his letter to committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz, Flynn made false statements to investigators about who funded his foreign trips, including a 2015 trip to Russia where Flynn was paid roughly $45,000 to speak at an event in Moscow .

What did Mike Pence know?

Vice President Mike Pence is standing by a March statement that he first learned of now-fired national security adviser Michael Flynn's ties to Turkey from media reports, despite renewed scrutiny and revelations President Donald Trump's transition team was made aware far earlier. "The vice president stands by his comments in March upon first hearing the news regarding General Flynn's ties to Turkey and fully supports the President's decision to ask for General Flynn's resignation," said an aide to Pence, who declined to be named.

Report: Trump brags to Russians about firing ‘nut job’ Comey

President Trump meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, next to Russian Ambassador to the United States, Sergei Kislyak, at the White House in Washington on May 10. President Trump, accompanied by first lady Melania Trump, gives a thumbs-up as they walk across the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on Friday to board Marine One for a short trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Md. WASHINGTON - President Trump bragged to two top Russian officials last week that firing "nut job" FBI Director James Comey eased "great pressure" on him, the New York Times reported today.

Donald Trump told Michael Flynn to “stay strong” amid growing scandal: report

If a new report about President Donald Trump passing words of reassurance to former national security adviser Michael Flynn is accurate, it could have serious implications in terms of the president's firing of former FBI Director James Comey . Flynn is reported to have told friends at a northern Virginia restaurant on April 25 that Trump sent him a message telling him to "stay strong," according to a report by Yahoo News on Thursday.

Hillary Clinton to speak at Baltimore fundraiser

Hillary Clinton is scheduled to speak at a Baltimore fundraiser next month for a program that pays for high school students to study in Israel. The event was announced Wednesday on the Facebook page for the Elijah Cummings Youth Program, a joint program between the Maryland congressman and the Baltimore Jewish Council.

Special counsel Robert Mueller named to probe Trump-Russia ties

The US Justice Department has appointed former FBI director Robert Mueller as a special counsel to oversee the federal investigation into allegations that Russia and Donald Trump's campaign collaborated to influence the 2016 presidential election. The US Justice Department has appointed former FBI director Robert Mueller as a special counsel to oversee the federal investigation into allegations that Russia and Donald Trump's campaign collaborated to influence the 2016 presidential election.