President Donald Trump has lashed out at the investigators driving the Russian Federation investigation as "very bad and conflicted people", responding angrily to reports that the special counsel is looking into whether Trump obstructed justice. ABC notes that, at this point, Rosenstein has "privately acknowledged" that he might eventually be called at a witness in the investigation, largely because he penned the memo that led to former FBI Director James Comey's firing. When Comey was deputy attorney general in the Bush administration, he appointed a close friend and former colleague, Patrick Fitzgerald, as special counsel to investigate who leaked the identity of Valerie Plame, a covert Central Intelligence Agency officer.
After Trump's tweet Friday morning, a person close to the president's legal team told NPR's Scott Horsley that the tweet referred to the Wednesday Washington Post report regarding possible obstruction of justice.
Russian Federation has repeatedly denied meddling in the 2016 USA presidential election, insisting that it does not meddle in the affairs of other countries.
Mueller is investigating whether anyone on Trump's campaign, or associated with it, with him or any of his businesses, may have had any illegal dealings with Russian officials or others with ties to the Kremlin, said one USA official familiar with the rough outlines of the probe and who spoke on condition of anonymity.
In a series of tweets, Trump on Thursday said: "They made up a phony collusion with the Russians story, found zero proof, so now they go for obstruction of justice on the phony story. Nice", the president tweeted.
The president tweeted Friday, "Despite the phony Witch Hunt going on in America, the economic & jobs numbers are great".
The Senate Intelligence Committee is holding a public hearing next week to gather more information on Russia's interference in last year's elections. Former FBI head Robert Mueller was appointed as special counsel a day after a report stemming from the notes was published.
Others have pointed to news that Mueller interviewed with Trump for the Federal Bureau of Investigation director post after Comey's firing.
Anger mounts over London fire
Police commander Stuart Cundy earlier updated the death toll from 17 to 30, adding: "I do believe the number will increase". Cundy said that because the fire was so powerful there was "a risk that sadly we may not be able to identify everybody".
Pence has seldom addressed the Russian Federation issue, which has overshadowed Trump's efforts to overhaul the healthcare system, cut taxes and boost jobs - priorities that Pence has worked on intensively with Republican lawmakers.
"He's driving this", the White House official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss West Wing internal deliberations.
Among them are James Quarles and Jeannie Rhee, both of whom Mueller brought over from his old firm, WilmerHale.
Vice President Mike Pence has hired a private lawyer to represent his interests in the expanding probe. "Witch Hunt", he wrote. "Regulations way down, jobs and enthusiasm way up!"
"The Fake News Media hates when I use what has turned out to be my very powerful Social Media - over 100 million people!"
"I'm saying they are all piling up, Reince is leaking on him all the time".
The transition official said the organization has also separately asked the General Services Administration to preserve records from the Trump transition that were transferred to its facilities after Trump's inauguration.
The special counsel's investigators have sought information from Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats as well as National Security Agency Director Adm. Mike Rogers and they have pursued information from Richard Ledgett, the recently retired NSA deputy director, according to a source in the CNN report.
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