Hours after Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) said that his committee had been unable to verify claims in the dossier on President Trump compiled last year by former British MI6 officer Christopher Steele, Reuters reported that Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team had taken over inquiries into the Steele dossier. Steele, reputedly one of MI6's most respected Russia experts, put the dossier together as opposition-research on Trump, financed first by a Republican primary rival and then backers of Hillary Clinton. It was controversially published by BuzzFeed News after the election, and along with some memorably salacious details, it contained allegations that the Russian government had financial and personal leverage over Trump and his team.
A Mueller spokesman and the FBI declined to comment to Reuters, which cited "sources familiar with the inquiry" for its scoop. Three of those sources also told Reuters that Mueller's team has "assumed control of multiple inquiries into allegations by U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia interfered in the election to benefit Trump." Burr said his committee had made several attempts to contact Steele and arrange an interview, but "those offers have gone unaccepted." Perhaps Mueller will have more luck.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Why is Trump backtracking on the Hyundai immigration raid?Today’s Big Question Backlash threatens investment in US manufacturing
-
The 9 restaurants to eat at this very momentThe Week Recommends They’re award-winning. Isn’t that reason enough?
-
Trump proposes ending quarterly earnings reportsSpeed Read The SEC would have to approve any changes
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to TrumpSpeed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raidsSpeed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raidSpeed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearingSpeed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mountSpeed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers
-
Epstein accusers urge full file release, hint at own listspeed read A rally was organized by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who are hoping to force a vote on their Epstein Files Transparency Act
-
Court hands Harvard a win in Trump funding battleSpeed Read The Trump administration was ordered to restore Harvard's $2 billion in research grants
