Trump: Robert Mueller impanels grand jury focuses on obstruction and financial crimes

Welcome to the program. Thanks for having me, Ari.

In New York overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average topped the 22,000 mark for the first time on the strength in Apple shares following its earnings.

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The development is a sign that investigators continue to aggressively gather evidence in the case, and that Mueller is taking full control of a probe that predated him.

Experts said that Washington would be the appropriate place to convene a grand jury to examine actions taken by Trump since he became president and took up residence at the White House.

WILBER: Exactly. This is an investigative tool.

Federal prosecutors had previously been using a grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia, and even before Mueller was appointed, had increased their activity, issuing subpoenas and taking other investigative steps. At least eight members of Mueller's team have associations with the Democratic Party or have a track record of making donations to Democratic candidates, including the presidential campaigns of Obama and Clinton.

Under the regulations, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein is the government official empowered to fire Mueller under limited circumstances, such as conflict of interest and dereliction of duty. Is it enough to seek an indictment? Thirty-five percent of those surveyed said they thought health care was the most important issue facing the country, 13 percent said unemployment was the top priority and 11 percent were most concerned about terrorism.

The legislation would allow a special counsel to challenge the basis of a termination, with a three-judge panel ruling within 14 days on whether the firing was justified.

Even if the prosecutor can't prove that your client committed the crime supposedly being investigated, he will be charged with obstruction of justice or some similar offense for providing false information to agents or false swearing.

Mueller was appointed by the Justice Department to investigate Russia's alleged interference into the 2016 election and any possible links with the Trump campaign or transition team. And that's what they're looking at on Mueller's team.

SHAPIRO: Now, there was already a grand jury in the D.C. suburb of Alexandria, Va., that was involved with this inquiry.

Reuters news agency, citing sources, reported that grand jury subpoenas have been issued in connection with a June 2016 meeting between President Donald Trump's son and a Russia lawyer.

"Grand jury matters are typically secret", Cobb said, adding that "the White House favors anything that accelerates the conclusion of his work fairly".

The only prosecutor known to have stayed was Brandon Van Grack, a national security division prosecutor whose name was on the subpoena connected to Flynn.

Two US senators introduced a bipartisan bill Thursday to pre-empt that move by insulating Mueller. "You know, they're done - they're going to live on their pensions, they're not going to make it".

And I don't care if your client is Mother Teresa telling the absolute truth.

SHAPIRO: How are the president's attorneys responding to this? And he, you know, said hey, listen; we're going to cooperate. We've expected this frankly because you usually get a grand jury because you need it for information.

But according to US intelligence community, there is plenty of evidence of meddling, which prompted an FBI probe, which Mueller was assigned to take over after Trump fired FBI chief James Comey.