The special counsel’s office has asked the FBI to investigate claims that a woman was offered $20,000 to make false sexual harassment allegations against Robert Mueller.
“When we learned last week of allegations that women were offered money to make false claims about the special counsel, we immediately referred the matter to the FBI for investigation,” Peter Carr, a spokesman for the special counsel, told The Daily Caller News Foundation on Tuesday.
Numerous reporters came forward Tuesday to say they received an email from a woman who claimed that she was offered $20,000 to level sexual harassment allegations against Mueller, who is leading the investigation into possible collusion between President Donald Trump’s campaign and the Russian government. The woman claimed she worked with Mueller at the law firm Pillsbury Shaw in 1974. (RELATED: Report: Mueller Will Present Findings From Russia Probe After Midterms)
A website called The Hill Reporter first reported details of the email. Freelance reporter Yahsar Ali published a redacted version of the email, which he said he received nearly two weeks ago.
13 days ago I received this tip alleging an attempt to pay off women to make up accusations of sexual misconduct against Special Counsel Bob Mueller. Other reporters received the same email. Now the Special Counsel’s office is telling us they’ve referred the matter to the FBI pic.twitter.com/oqh4Fnel5u
— Yashar Ali ???? (@yashar) October 30, 2018
The woman claimed that an associate of lobbyist and radio host Jack Burkman had offered to pay off her credit card bills in exchange for signing an affidavit accusing Mueller of sexual misconduct.
“I don’t know who these people are, or why they want this stuff,” the woman wrote, adding that she had limited interactions with Mueller but that he was always “polite.”
Burkman, who has pushed conspiracy theories about the murder of Democratic National Committee staffer Seth Rich, told TheDCNF in a phone interview Tuesday it was “totally false” that he offered to pay anyone for information about Mueller. He did claim to be representing a woman who says she was sexually assaulted by the former FBI director.
Outgoing FBI Director Robert Mueller reacts to applause from the audience during his farewell ceremony at the Department of Justice in Washington, Aug. 1, 2013. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
Burkman plans to hold a press conference with the woman in Washington, D.C., Thursday. He said that the woman claims she was sexually assaulted by Mueller in New York City in August 2010. Mueller would have been FBI director at the time.
“We find her very credible,” Burkman claimed.
Asked to provide more information about his client or her claims, Burkman declined, saying that his client is keeping him “on a short leash.”
“We have the first of what we believe to be a long line of accusers against Bob Mueller,” said Burkman, who said he has been investigating Mueller for the past six months.
Carr declined to comment on Burkman’s specific allegations.
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