LEGAL/ROBERT MUELLER/RUDY GIULIANI/RUSSIA INVESTIGATION/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Rudy Giuliani said Wednesday [8-8-18] that President Donald Trump’s legal team has responded to the special counsel, the latest effort in ongoing negotiations over a possible interview…Sekulow confirmed in a statement that the legal team ‘responded in writing to the latest proposal’ from the special counsel, but declined to comment on the substance of the response. Giuliani had previously told CNN that the team planned to send its counteroffer to special counsel Robert Mueller regarding a potential interview on Wednesday…The former New York City mayor similarly would not describe the contents of the counteroffer, except to say that ‘there is an area where we could agree, if they agree.’ Giuliani wouldn’t say if that area has to do with collusion or obstruction. The President has previously said that he wants to speak with the special counsel and has insisted there was no collusion or obstruction, while deriding the investigation as a ‘witch hunt.’ But Trump’s public attacks on the Russia probe have sparked questions over whether his actions could constitute obstruction of justice. Those questions intensified earlier this month when the President called on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to shut down the investigation, an escalation that Giuliani attempted to downplay as Trump merely expressing an opinion.”
–Dana Bash and Clare Foran, “Trump’s legal team responds to Mueller regarding interview,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, August 8, 2018 4:43 pm