Special Counsel Mueller interviews top White House aide

Special Counsel Robert Mueller has interviewed senior White House Policy Adviser Stephen Miller as part of an ongoing probe into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, the media reported.

The interview brings the special counsel investigation into President Donald Trump's inner circle in the White House. Miller is the highest-level aide still working at the White House known to have talked to investigators.

Miller's role in the firing of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey was among the topics discussed during the interview as part of the probe into possible obstruction of justice, an official told CNN on Thursday.

Special counsel investigators have also shown interest in talking to attendees of a March 2016 meeting where former Foreign Policy Adviser George Papadopoulos said that he could arrange a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin through his connections.

Miller was also at the meeting, the official said.

Papadopoulos has been charged with lying to the FBI about Russian contacts he had during the campaign.

Miller was also an early member of the President's campaign staff, leaving his role as Attorney General Jeff Sessions' Communications Director in the Senate to join Trump in January 2016, CNN reported.

Mueller's team has also talked to key former aides including former White House Chief of Staff Reince Preibus, former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer and National Security Council Chief of Staff Keith Kellogg.

Mueller was also seeking to interview other staff including White House counsel Don McGahn and Communications Director Hope Hicks.

--IANS

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