Mike Pence made a rare statement on the Russia investigation Thursday morning, saying he thinks it is time for special counsel Robert Mueller to “wrap it up.”
“In the interests of the country, I think it’s time to wrap it up,” the vice president said on NBC’s “Today Show” after three American hostages returned from North Korea.
“I would very respectfully encourage the special counsel and his team to bring their work to completion,” he added.
Pence has rarely weighed in with his thoughts on the Russia probe, while President Trump has made no secret of his frustration, calling the investigation politically motivated and a “phony witch hunt,” and accusing investigators of conflicts of interest.
Is this Phony Witch Hunt going to go on even longer so it wrongfully impacts the Mid-Term Elections, which is what the Democrats always intended? Republicans better get tough and smart before it is too late!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 7, 2018
Besides collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign, Mueller is also investigating matters that “may arise directly from the investigation,” such as the payment former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen made to porn star Stormy Daniels as part of a nondisclosure agreement regarding her one-night stand with Trump in 2006.
Pence said the administration has “fully cooperated” with Mueller’s investigators and has turned over more than one million documents.
Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, a new member of Trump’s legal team, has also called for the investigation to be shuttered.
Mueller is currently investigating millions of dollars in consulting fees companies made to Cohen, who touted his access to Trump and provided companies with insight on how to deal with the administration.