Trump allies say Mueller unlawfully obtained thousands of emailsWASHINGTON (Reuters) - An organization established for U.S. President Donald Trump’s transition to the White House said on Saturday the special counsel investigating allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 election had obtained tens of thousands of emails unlawfully. Kory Langhofer, counsel to the transition team known as Trump for America, Inc. (TFA), wrote a letter to congressional committees to say Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s team had improperly received the emails from the General Services Administration (GSA), a government agency. Career staff members at the agency “unlawfully produced TFA’s private materials, including privileged communications, to the Special Counsel’s Office,” according to the letter, a copy  of which was seen by Reuters. It said the materials included “tens of thousands of emails.” Trump’s transition team used facilities of the GSA, which helps manage the U.S. government bureaucracy, in the period between the Republican’s November presidential election victory and his inauguration in January.     The Trump team’s accusation adds to the growing friction between the president’s supporters and Mueller’s office as it investigates whether Russia interfered in the election and if Trump or anyone on his team colluded with Moscow. Asked for comment, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said: “We continue to cooperate fully with the special counsel and expect this process to wrap up soon.” The special counsel’s office waved off the transition team’s complaint. “When we have obtained emails in the course of our ongoing criminal investigation, we have secured either the account owner’s consent or appropriate criminal process,” said Peter Carr, spokesman for the special counsel’s office. The GSA did not respond immediately to a request for comment. Democrats say there is a wide-ranging effort by the president’s allies on Capitol Hill and in some media outlets to discredit Mueller’s investigation. Trump himself has loudly declared Mueller’s effort a waste of time. “There is absolutely no collusion. That has been proven,” Trump told reporters on Friday. Russia denies interfering in the election.  On Friday, Representative Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, said he fears the committee’s Republican majority intends to close its investigation of the topic prematurely. Some Republicans have argued that Mueller is biased against Trump and should be fired. Langhofer’s letter was sent to the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, and the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. It asked for Congress to act immediately “to protect future presidential transitions from having their private records misappropriated by government agencies, particularly in the context of sensitive investigations intersecting with political motives.” The letter said Mueller’s office obtained the emails despite the fact that it was aware the GSA did not own or control the records. It said the special counsel’s office has “extensively used the materials in question, including portions that are susceptible to claims of privilege” without notifying the Trump for America team. On the transition team were a number of aides who were later caught up in Mueller’s investigation, such as former national security adviser Michael Flynn. Flynn pleaded guilty this month to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia. Langhofer, the Trump transition team lawyer, wrote in his letter that the GSA’s transfer of materials was discovered on Dec. 12 and 13. The FBI had requested the materials from GSA staff on Aug. 23, asking for copies of the emails, laptops, cell phones and other materials associated with nine members of the Trump transition team responsible for national security and policy matters, the letter said. The FBI requested the materials of four additional senior members of the Trump transition team on Aug. 30, it said. Langhofer argued that, while such transition teams are involved in executive functions, they are considered private, non-profit organizations whose records are private and not subject to presidential records laws. politicsNews
trump allies say mueller unlawfully obtained thousands emailswashington reuters an organization established president donald trump transition white house said saturday special counsel investigating allegations russian meddling election obtained tens thousands emails unlawfully gory langhofer counsel transition team known trump america tfa wrote letter congressional committees say special counsel robert mueller team improperly received emails general services administration gsa government agency career staff members agency unlawfully produced tfa private materials including privileged communications special counsel office according letter copy seen reuters it said materials included tens thousands trump transition team used facilities gsa helps manage government bureaucracy period republican november presidential election victory inauguration january the trump team accusation adds growing friction president supporters mueller office investigates whether russia interfered election trump anyone team collided moscow asked comment white house spokeswoman sarah sanders said we continue cooperate fully special counsel expect process wrap the special counsel office waved transition team complaint when obtained emails course ongoing criminal investigation secured either account owner consent appropriate criminal process said peter carr spokesman special counsel office the gsa respond immediately request comment democrats say effort president allies capitol hill media outlets discredit mueller investigation trump loudly declared mueller effort waste time there absolutely collusion that proven trump told reporters friday russia denies interfering election on friday representative adam chief top democrat house representatives intelligence committee said fears committee republican majority intends close investigation topic prematurely some republicans argued mueller biased trump fired langhofer letter sent senate committee homeland security government affairs house committee oversight government reform it asked congress act immediately protect future presidential transitions private records misappropriated government agencies particularly context sensitive investigations intersecting political the letter said mueller office obtained emails despite fact aware gsa control records it said special counsel office extensively used materials question including portions susceptible claims privilege without notifying trump america team on transition team number aides later caught mueller investigation former national security adviser michael flynn flynn pleaded guilty month lying fbi contacts russia langhofer trump transition team lawyer wrote letter gsa transfer materials discovered the fbi requested materials gsa staff asking copies emails laptops cell phones materials associated nine members trump transition team responsible national security policy matters letter said the fbi requested materials four additional senior members trump transition team said langhofer argued transition teams involved executive functions considered private organizations whose records private subject presidential records laws politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Trump allies say Mueller unlawfully obtained thousands of emailsWASHINGTON (Reuters) - An organization established for U.S. President Donald Trump’s transition to the White House said on Saturday the special counsel investigating allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 election had obtained tens of thousands of emails unlawfully. Kory Langhofer, counsel to the transition team known as Trump for America, Inc. (TFA), wrote a letter to congressional committees to say Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s team had improperly received the emails from the General Services Administration (GSA), a government agency. Career staff members at the agency “unlawfully produced TFA’s private materials, including privileged communications, to the Special Counsel’s Office,” according to the letter, a copy  of which was seen by Reuters. It said the materials included “tens of thousands of emails.” Trump’s transition team used facilities of the GSA, which helps manage the U.S. government bureaucracy, in the period between the Republican’s November presidential election victory and his inauguration in January.     The Trump team’s accusation adds to the growing friction between the president’s supporters and Mueller’s office as it investigates whether Russia interfered in the election and if Trump or anyone on his team colluded with Moscow. Asked for comment, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said: “We continue to cooperate fully with the special counsel and expect this process to wrap up soon.” The special counsel’s office waved off the transition team’s complaint. “When we have obtained emails in the course of our ongoing criminal investigation, we have secured either the account owner’s consent or appropriate criminal process,” said Peter Carr, spokesman for the special counsel’s office. The GSA did not respond immediately to a request for comment. Democrats say there is a wide-ranging effort by the president’s allies on Capitol Hill and in some media outlets to discredit Mueller’s investigation. Trump himself has loudly declared Mueller’s effort a waste of time. “There is absolutely no collusion. That has been proven,” Trump told reporters on Friday. Russia denies interfering in the election.  On Friday, Representative Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, said he fears the committee’s Republican majority intends to close its investigation of the topic prematurely. Some Republicans have argued that Mueller is biased against Trump and should be fired. Langhofer’s letter was sent to the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, and the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. It asked for Congress to act immediately “to protect future presidential transitions from having their private records misappropriated by government agencies, particularly in the context of sensitive investigations intersecting with political motives.” The letter said Mueller’s office obtained the emails despite the fact that it was aware the GSA did not own or control the records. It said the special counsel’s office has “extensively used the materials in question, including portions that are susceptible to claims of privilege” without notifying the Trump for America team. On the transition team were a number of aides who were later caught up in Mueller’s investigation, such as former national security adviser Michael Flynn. Flynn pleaded guilty this month to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia. Langhofer, the Trump transition team lawyer, wrote in his letter that the GSA’s transfer of materials was discovered on Dec. 12 and 13. The FBI had requested the materials from GSA staff on Aug. 23, asking for copies of the emails, laptops, cell phones and other materials associated with nine members of the Trump transition team responsible for national security and policy matters, the letter said. The FBI requested the materials of four additional senior members of the Trump transition team on Aug. 30, it said. Langhofer argued that, while such transition teams are involved in executive functions, they are considered private, non-profit organizations whose records are private and not subject to presidential records laws. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: trump allies say mueller unlawfully obtained thousands emailswashington reuters an organization established president donald trump transition white house said saturday special counsel investigating allegations russian meddling election obtained tens thousands emails unlawfully gory langhofer counsel transition team known trump america tfa wrote letter congressional committees say special counsel robert mueller team improperly received emails general services administration gsa government agency career staff members agency unlawfully produced tfa private materials including privileged communications special counsel office according letter copy seen reuters it said materials included tens thousands trump transition team used facilities gsa helps manage government bureaucracy period republican november presidential election victory inauguration january the trump team accusation adds growing friction president supporters mueller office investigates whether russia interfered election trump anyone team collided moscow asked comment white house spokeswoman sarah sanders said we continue cooperate fully special counsel expect process wrap the special counsel office waved transition team complaint when obtained emails course ongoing criminal investigation secured either account owner consent appropriate criminal process said peter carr spokesman special counsel office the gsa respond immediately request comment democrats say effort president allies capitol hill media outlets discredit mueller investigation trump loudly declared mueller effort waste time there absolutely collusion that proven trump told reporters friday russia denies interfering election on friday representative adam chief top democrat house representatives intelligence committee said fears committee republican majority intends close investigation topic prematurely some republicans argued mueller biased trump fired langhofer letter sent senate committee homeland security government affairs house committee oversight government reform it asked congress act immediately protect future presidential transitions private records misappropriated government agencies particularly context sensitive investigations intersecting political the letter said mueller office obtained emails despite fact aware gsa control records it said special counsel office extensively used materials question including portions susceptible claims privilege without notifying trump america team on transition team number aides later caught mueller investigation former national security adviser michael flynn flynn pleaded guilty month lying fbi contacts russia langhofer trump transition team lawyer wrote letter gsa transfer materials discovered the fbi requested materials gsa staff asking copies emails laptops cell phones materials associated nine members trump transition team responsible national security policy matters letter said the fbi requested materials four additional senior members trump transition team said langhofer argued transition teams involved executive functions considered private organizations whose records private subject presidential records laws politicsnews