Professor at the center of Mueller's Russia probe boasted about contact with Kremlin in private exchanges

The professor at the center of Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible collusion with Donald Trump’s campaign is proud of his Moscow contacts, despite telling U.S. journalists he had “absolutely no contact” with the Kremlin.

In private exchanges, Joseph Mifsud told a former assistant he had a private meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Washington Post reports. The professor, who promised “dirt” on Hillary Clinton to former Trump adviser George Papadopoulos, is now a central figure in Mueller’s special counsel probe. The professor also allegedly offered himself up as “a go-between” for Trump’s campaign and the Kremlin, the Post reports.

In an interview Tuesday, Mifsud told the Daily Telegraph he has “a clear conscience.”

“I am an academic, I do not even speak Russian,” Mifsud told the Post.

Read the full report at the Washington Post.