Russia probe: Former Trump aide says he will not comply with Robert Mueller subpoena

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Former Donald Trump aide Sam Nunberg says that he will not comply with a subpoena from special counsel Robert Mueller’s team.

Mr Nunberg, who worked on the Trump campaign in 2015, said that Mr Mueller’s subpoena — which he said include requests for emails between him and former Trump aides Roger Stone, Corey Lewandowski, and Hope Hicks — is just asking for too much.

“What they sent me was absolutely ridiculous,” Mr Nunberg said during an appearance on MSNBC. They wanted every email I had with Roger Stone, and with Steve Bannon. Why should I hand them emails from Nov 1, 2015?”

The MSNBC appearance was one of many interviews he conducted Monday to broadcast his defiance.

Asked if he was concerned about potential contempt of court charges if he makes good on his plans not to hand over the emails, Mr Nunberg projected nonchalance.

“Let him arrest me,” Mr Nunberg told the Washington Post. “Mr Mueller should understand I am not going in on Friday.”

The subpoena of Mr Nunberg’s records is the latest legal action by Mr Mueller’s team, which began investigating Russia’s interference in the 2016 election last year. At least four individuals connected to the Trump campaign have been indicted by the investigators, though no specific connection between the campaign and Russia’s 2016 meddling has been made public so far.

In addition to Mr Bannon, Mr Stone, Mr Lewandowski, and Ms Hicks, Mr Nunberg’s subpoena also seeks information on President Donald Trump’s lawyer, Michael Cohen.

In declaring his plans to resist the subpoena, Mr Nunberg said that complying would take a lot of time, and that he is close with some of the individuals Mr Mueller is asking for information about.

As for his relationship with Mr Trump, things are apparently a bit sour.

“I’m not spending 80 hours going over my emails with Roger Stone and Steve Bannon and producing them,” Mr Nunberg told the Washington Post. “Donald Trump won this election on his own. He campaigned his ass off. And there is nobody who hates him more than me.”