President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen has been asked by special counsel Robert Mueller's team of investigators about "all aspects of Trump's dealings with Russia," according to a new ABC News report.
Those questions include ones related to Trump's business dealings in Russia, as well as questions about possible collusion by members of Trump's presidential campaign with Russian interference in the 2016 president election, the report said Thursday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
ABC News additionally reported that investigators have inquired of Cohen whether the president or his associates had discussed a possible pardon for the lawyer, who pleaded guilty last month to federal criminal charges.
In addition to Russian attacks on the election, and possible Trump campaign collusion, Mueller is known to be probing whether Trump has obstructed justice in the investigation. Trump has repeatedly denied collusion and obstruction.
Neither the White House nor the special counsel's office immediately responded to requests for comment from CNBC.
Lanny Davis, a lawyer for Cohen, declined to comment, according to NBC News.
Vanity Fair reported last week that Cohen has in recent weeks been talking to investigators in Mueller's office.
The new article by ABC adds details about that reported contact. Among the bylines on the new report is ABC News anchorman George Stephanopoulos, who in July scored the first in-depth interview with Cohen after the lawyer's offices and residences were raided by FBI agents in April.
ABC News said Cohen has spoken to Mueller's team in both Washington and in New York City. The article said he is also cooperating with New York state authorities in an ongoing investigation into Trump's charity and the Trump Organization.
Cohen pleaded guilty to charges brought by federal prosecutors in New York City without having an agreement to cooperate with them or with Mueller.
However, his voluntary cooperation could be used by his lawyers, and prosecutors, to argue to a judge that he deserves leniency when sentence for tax crimes, and for violating campaign finance laws by paying porn star Stormy Daniels $130,000 right before the election to keep quiet about an alleged affair with Trump. The president has denied that affair, but did reimburse Cohen for the payoff.
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