Former CIA Director John Brennan said that the final indictments in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation could be unveiled as early as this Friday.
Speaking with Lawrence O'Donnell on MSNBC's The Last Word, Brennan said he believed Mueller wanted to finish his almost two-year investigation and turn over the findings to relevant jurisdictions.
"I think Robert Mueller wants to be able to conclude his work and turn over the investigative threads to the Southern District of New York, the Eastern District of Virginia and other jurisdictions as appropriate," Brennan told O'Donnell when pressed for a prediction on when the investigation would end.
"I wouldn't be surprised if, for example, this week on Friday—not knowing anything about it—but Friday is the day the grand jury indictments come down," he said
"And this Friday is better than next Friday, because next Friday is the 15th of March—which is the Ides of March—and I don't think Robert Mueller will want to have that dramatic flair of the Ides of March when he'll be delivering what I think are going to be indictments, the final indictments, as well as the report to the attorney general," Brennan said.
O'Donnell pressed the former spy on why he believed there were still more indictments to come from the Mueller investigation, which has already produced indictments against 34 people and three companies, according to Time, including some of President Donald Trump's closest advisers.
"He hasn't addressed the issues of criminal conspiracy," Brennan said. Asked if he was referring to conspiracy "involving the Russians," Brennan replied, "Yes."
Brennan left his post as CIA director in January 2017 and has since become one of the president's most vocal critics. Trump has even singled out Brennan for personal attacks, calling him a "loudmouth, partisan, political hack," and last August revoked his security clearance.
O'Donnell asked whether, as part of his work at the CIA, Brennan had seen indications of cooperation or conspiracy between Americans and Russians that might result in indictments.
"I thought at the time there were going to be individuals who were going to have issues with the Department of Justice, yes," he said. "And I think we've already seen a number of individuals who have been indicted, either have pleaded guilty or have been convicted now."
Brennan noted that the most high-profile indictments would likely only be unveiled at the very conclusion of the probe. Otherwise, Trump and his supporters might become desperate and move to shut down the probe and suppress its findings.
"If anybody from the Trump family, extended family, is going to be indicted, it would be the final act of Mueller's investigation," Brennan predicted.
"Bob Mueller and his team knows if he were to do something—indicting a Trump family member or if he were to go forward with indictment on criminal conspiracy involving U.S. persons—that would basically be the death of the special counsel's office, because I don't believe Donald Trump would allow Bob Mueller to continue in the aftermath of those types of actions," Brennan explained.
Mueller's probe is reportedly in its final stages, and the former FBI director seems close to delivering his long-awaited report, despite repeated attacks from Trump and his supporters regarding the basis for and conduct of the probe. Lawmakers are working to ensure that the final report's findings—which are expected to provide new avenues of inquiry for congressional investigators—cannot be suppressed.
