Schumer fact-checks Trump on claim of ‘phony’ probe

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) fact-checked President Trump’s tweet claiming that special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe is “phony,” noting that it has led to several indictments and guilty pleas.

“I hate repeating myself Mr. President, but let me remind you again: Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation has either indicted or secured guilty pleas from 19 people and three companies — that we know of,” Schumer tweeted Sunday.

I hate repeating myself Mr. President, but let me remind you again: Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation has either indicted or secured guilty pleas from 19 people and three companies — that we know of. https://t.co/OOb5mfy1dR

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) May 27, 2018

Trump attacked Mueller’s probe as the “phony Russia Collusion Witch Hunt” earlier Sunday, mourning the “young and beautiful lives” he claims have been “devastated and destroyed” by the investigation.

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Three Trump campaign staffers or officials have pleaded guilty to charges in the probe, including former national security adviser Michael Flynn as well as former campaign advisers George Papadopoulos and Richard Gates.

Lawyer Alex van der Zwaan also pleaded guilty to lying to investigators about his contact with Gates, and a California man, Richard Pinedo, pleaded guilty to identity fraud for selling bank account numbers.

Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort has also been charged in the probe.

Mueller has also indicted 13 Russian nationals and three Russian organizations for allegedly working to interfere in the 2016 election.

Trump has repeatedly attacked the probe as a “witch hunt” and claimed that it is biased against him. More recently, he has made unsubstantiated claims that the FBI spied on his campaign, although top Obama-era intelligence officials have disputed the allegations.