Robert Mueller Russia Investigation Has 6 More Months Of Funding, Casting Doubt On Reports He Will Finish Soon
Despite a flurry of reports in major media outlets dating back to December predicting the imminent end to Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into possible collusion between the 2016 Donald Trump campaign and Russia, Mueller’s investigation has enough money to run until the end of September, according to “three United States officials” who spoke to the news agency Reuters for a report published on Monday.
The government fiscal year begins on October 1. Mueller would need to request additional funding in order to run the investigation into the next fiscal year, and he has a deadline of June 30 to make that funding request. But according to the Reuters report, whether Mueller plans to request additional funding to continue in fiscal year 2020 is not yet clear.
On December 20, NBC News published a report by correspondents Pete Williams and Ken Dilanian, stating that “Mueller is nearing the end of his historic investigation” and would likely submit a final report on his findings by mid-February. But as of March 11, no report had been submitted — at least not one that was announced to the public.
As The Inquisitr reported on Sunday, one Washington columnist said he had sources telling him that Mueller had, in fact, already submitted his report, but that Attorney General William Barr was delaying an announcement because Mueller had recommended an indictment of Trump, causing a dispute with Barr.
On February 20, however, CNN reported that the Mueller Report could be submitted “as early as next week.” But that projected time frame also came and went without any such activity.
A former lawyer for Trump, Ty Cobb, told ABC News last week that he expected Mueller to end his investigation by “mid-March.”
But in January, Mueller received an extension for the grand jury empaneled for his investigation to continue through July, according to The Washington Post.
In addition, Mueller has given indications that his investigation still has a significant distance to travel before closing shop. Mueller continues to seek a trove of documents from an unnamed foreign company, which has fought Mueller’s subpoena all the way the Supreme Court. The court yet to issue a ruling on whether the company must comply, according to The Washington Post. Whether Mueller would simply end his investigation before the court determines whether he can receive those documents appears unlikely.
As The Post has reported, Mueller and his spokesperson have issued no comments or information regarding any date for when the special counsel plans to see his Russia investigation concluded.
