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U.S. NEWS Thursday 18 January 2018
Mueller team would hardly be first lawyers to question Trump

Continued on Page 3 stakes would certainly be
higher than what Trump
“On the one hand, you has faced in the past, and
generally tell witnesses not the questioning, unlike past
to volunteer, to answer the interviews focused on real
question as asked,” said estate and business, would
New York lawyer Gary Naf- delve into areas outside of
talis. “Don’t answer a ques- his life’s work. He’d almost
tion that isn’t asked. You al- certainly be asked about
ways tell the witness not to the firing of former FBI Di-
guess or speculate or try to rector James Comey, a
fill in the blanks.” decision he’s offered dif-
Yet there’s an unmistakable ferent explanations for,
deftness, too, a tendency and about multiple one-
by Trump to pass blame on-one interactions that
for certain decisions, to Comey has documented
deflect probing questions but Trump has disputed.
to lawyers or accountants Investigators would likely
and to answer others with want to discuss an incom-
hedged, vague or non- plete, perhaps misleading
responsive language that previous statement regard-
frustrates interrogators. ing a Trump Tower meeting
Though the possibility of a Trump relatives had with
Mueller interview has been Russians.
broached, it’s not clear But it would hardly be the
when such a conversation first time he’s been asked to Special counsel Robert Mueller departs after a meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington. Republicans
who spent the early months of 2017 working with Democrats on investigations into Russian
would occur, or if Trump’s reconcile conflicting state- interference in U.S. elections have pivoted as the new year begins, leaving the conclusions of
lawyers would work to nar- ments or been pressed those congressional probes in doubt.
row the scope of question- about controversial ac- (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
ing or to avoid a face-to- tions. That was the theme billion? A mistaken figure club was zoned for 50 he actually was not. He
face interrogation. of a contentious 2007 de- written by someone else. home sites, not 75? An- blamed the wording on an
Trump has said it “seems un- position with lawyers for A bank’s estimation that other mistake, by another employee.
likely” he’ll be interviewed, journalist Timothy O’Brien, he was worth $1.2 billion in- person. “I have a woman that does
but his lawyers have co- whom Trump sued over a stead of roughly $3.5 billion, In a 2013 deposition involv- it,” he said, then added,
operated throughout the book he felt had maligned as he maintained? Impos- ing a failed Florida condo- “But you know, developing,
probe, and Mueller has in- him. How could he explain sible, the bank didn’t fully minium project, Trump was the word develop, it can
dicated interest in speak- an assertion in his own book scour his assets. asked why his bio said he be used in a lot of different
ing with the president. The that placed his debt at $9.2 A statement that a golf was developing a project contexts.” q

‘Very strong’ Democratic sentiment
to oppose GOP budget bill: Schumer

Continued on Page 3 prove the measure, called
a continuing resolution, or
Some conservatives op- CR, by Friday night to pre-
pose the short-term spend- vent a shutdown.
ing bill and said GOP lead- Ryan also said he wants
ers lacked the votes to pass to reach a compromise
it. House Speaker Paul Ryan, on immigration but won’t
R-Wis., declined to say if he bring such a measure to
had enough Republican the House floor unless Presi-
support to push it through dent Donald Trump sup-
the House this week. Vote ports it. He said Trump is be-
counters gauged GOP ing “completely rational”
support Wednesday in ad- in demanding that the bill
vance of a vote planned have stronger border secu-
for Thursday. rity provisions than a bipar-
Ryan said it was “baffling” tisan immigration proposal
why Democrats would op- from six senators that he
pose the spending mea- rejected last week.
sure, noting it contains Separately, members of
money for the military and the Congressional Hispanic
the widely supported chil- Caucus and other Demo-
dren’s health insurance crats met privately in the
program. Republicans are Capitol with White House
hoping the money for chil- chief of staff John Kelly, and
dren will pressure some some emerged citing little
Democrats to back the progress. The talks were on
overall bill. legislation aimed at shield-
“I think cool heads hopeful- ing the hundreds of thou-
ly will prevail,” Ryan told re- sands of young immigrants
porters. Congress must ap- from deportation.q