Papadopoulos Attorney: Trump 'Hindered' Mueller Probe More Than Papadopoulos

By Tierney Sneed
September 7, 2018 4:19 pm

In appealing to a federal judge for leniency in sentencing his client for lying to FBI, a lawyer for George Papadopoulos claimed Donald Trump himself did more to impede the Russia investigation than his former campaign adviser did.

“The President of the United States hindered that investigation more” than Papadopoulos did, attorney Thomas Breen told the federal judge in DC preparing to sentence Papadopoulos Friday afternoon.

Noting comments President Trump made the week before Papadopoulos misled the FBI, Breen said, “The President of the United States and commander in chief told the world this is fake news and a witch hunt.”

Trump made those comments on Jan. 20, 2017, according to Breen. Papadopoulos was interviewed by FBI agents about his contacts with Russia-connected figures a week later. “That’s the mindset going in there,” Breen told the court, citing Trump’s remarks.

The court recessed briefly Friday afternoon after hearing from Papadopoulos, who expressed remorse, and his attorney. The judge was expected to hand down a sentence soon.

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