Former Trump political strategist Steve Bannon is lawyering up in preparation to "fully cooperate" with special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe.
The Daily Beast reports that Bannon has recently retained the services of Bill Burck, of the firm Quinn Emanuel, in preparation for cooperating with the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
"Two sources tell us Burck is helping Bannon prepare for an interview with the House intelligence committee, which is currently scheduled for next week," writes the Daily Beast. "Sources also said Bannon plans to 'fully cooperate' with investigators."
Bannon's decision to retain Burck comes amid speculation that he might turn on President Donald Trump in the Russia probe.
Bannon stepped down from his position as head of Breitbart News this week amid Trump's furor that Bannon believed Donald Trump Jr. would get "cracked like an egg" by Mueller's team over his infamous meeting with Russian officials in 2016. Bannon also suggested that Trump and his family would likely be brought down by a massive money laundering operation that Mueller and his team would soon uncover.
Republican strategist Cheri Jacobus speculated on Thursday that Bannon was planning to crush Trump in the Russia probe after the president was instrumental in getting Bannon fired from Breitbart and his Sirius XM radio program, as well as convincing the wealthy Mercer family to stop funding Bannon's campaigns.
"Bannon and others who 'know too much' can be dangerous to a president with a few too many secrets," she wrote. "Trump would be wise to heed this advice: Never put anyone in a position where they’ve got nothing left to lose."