OnPolitics Today: Mueller mulls it over

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President Donald Trump is revealing a growing anxiety about the scope of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. AP reporter Chad Day breaks down the story. (July 20)
AP

It might be a Thursday in August, OP peeps, but that doesn’t mean we’ve slowed down to “everyone’s on vacation” mode just yet (and, given the way the way the world works nowadays, maybe we never will). On today’s docket: Robert Mueller and his grand jury, the Senate is (probably) leaving town today and Anthony Scaramucci.

Let’s do this.

The Mueller Juror

Special counsel Robert Mueller has reportedly impaneled a grand jury, signaling that the federal investigation into Russia’s meddling in last year’s election is getting more intense and could go on for months or YEARS. Yes. Years. 

By impaneling a grand jury, Mueller gains the broad authority to subpoena documents and compel witnesses to testify under oath. 

We don’t yet know what President Trump thinks of this news; the official White House word is that it would “fully” cooperate with Mueller.

In other Mueller news, a bipartisan group of senators is looking for ways to protect him in case he is removed from his job. Checks and balances, yo.

Speaking of the Senate

The Senate is set to leave for its August break today (though as of Thursday evening, they were still carrying on with some business). Once they leave, they won’t return* until Sept. 5.

While the Senate is away, consider this: Trump’s strong-arming tactics are backfiring with members of his own party. It may have worked in the business world, but here’s the thing: Senators don’t like to be bullied. They are part of their own branch of government, after all, and they are supposed to act as a check on the executive. One expert: “It’s stunning to think the president believes that this kind of pressure campaign is going to bring senators to the table when it is actually repelling them.”

Checks and balances part 2, yo.

*The Senate is likely going on pro forma session, which means someone will need to stop by and gavel in regularly. This prevents Trump from making any recess appointments.

The Mooch might need some moolah

Anthony Scaramucci sold his global investment firm in order to join the Trump administration. And that move might end up costing him.

During his short tenure as White House communications director, he never end up getting a “certificate of divestiture” that would have given him special tax treatment for giving up assets to avoid conflicts of interest.

What that means in simpler terms: Selling his firm could result in a tax bill of between $10 million and $12 million.

Was it worth it, Mooch?

Elsewhere in politicsland

• One day after signing sanctions bill, Trump blames Congress for bad relations with Russia

• Senate passes bill to improve cancer drugs for children

• Trump touts Veterans Affairs ‘tele-health’ program with new appointment scheduling application

• Trump presses Mexico’s Peña Nieto to stop publicly opposing border wall

• The Bubble: Acosta-Miller rumble was poetry vs. policy, conservatives say

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