ROBERT MUELLER/RUSSIA INVESTIGATION/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Rick Gates, a former senior campaign aide to President Donald Trump, will have to wait at least another two months for his sentencing date in the Russia investigation, prosecutors said Tuesday [1-15-19]. In a new court filing, special counsel Robert Mueller’s team said they’re not ready for Gates’ sentencing because he is continuing to cooperate with “several” ongoing investigations. It’s unclear if the delay is an indication of the timeline of Mueller’s investigation into Russian election interference or a reflection of the status of the other investigations. Gates has been a key cooperator in Mueller’s probe as he works to answer a question that has shadowed the Trump presidency from the start: Did Trump or his associates coordinate with the Kremlin’s large-scale effort to sway the election his way? Aside from the Russia investigation, Gates is involved in probes of foreign lobbying related to his former boss, ex-Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort. He is also reportedly involved in a federal investigation of Trump’s inaugural committee, where Gates served in a senior role.”
–Associated Press, “Mueller Not Ready for Trump Aide’s Sentencing, Filing Says,” The New York Times online, January 15, 2019