File Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin take part in a family photo at the APEC summit in Danang, Vietnam, Nov. 10, 2017. (Xinhua/REUTERS)
by Matthew Rusling
WASHINGTON, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Thursday marked the one-year anniversary into the investigation of alleged collusion between Team Trump and Russia during the U.S. presidential elections. While the White House continues to dismiss these claims, the investigation is not going away, experts say.
"Trump likes to hope that the probe will go away or find nothing disturbing about his past conduct, but that already has been disproved. There are lots of negative things that have come out and will continue to come out," Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua.
Over the past year, the probe has uncovered bits and pieces of information. One major highlight occurred last month, when FBI agents raided the New York office of Trump's personal attorney.
The agents confiscated emails, documents related to business records, as well as documents allegedly connected to a payment to a woman who was formerly a porn actress.
The raid was the latest among FBI's investigations against the president, as the FBI has been seeking to find a connection between Trump and Russia.
"The Mueller probe has been one of the most important forces shaping views about Trump," West said.
"The indictments and convictions coming out of that investigation has weakened Trump's key claims that his team had little contact with Russians and that he has drained the swamp," West said.
So far, several individuals have been indicted as a result of the investigation. However, none of the charges relating to U.S. citizens or Team Trump has directly accused anyone of working with Moscow to meddle in the presidential campaign.
The probe has led to discussion about whether Trump might be impeached, although experts said that there must be very clear and direct evidence that an actual crime has taken place.
Currently, no such smoking gun has been uncovered, and experts say that it's highly unlikely that impeachment will be pursued.
Historically, impeachment is rare. Only three U.S. presidents faced impeachment proceedings.
Anyway, the Russia probe led by special counsel Robert Mueller will continue to "cast a cloud" over Trump's administration, Dan Mahaffee, senior vice president and director of policy at the Center for the Study of Congress and the Presidency, told Xinhua.
Trump has repeatedly criticized the probe. To coincide with the one-year anniversary of the probe, he took to social media to label the probe as the "greatest witch hunt in American history."
"I won't speak for the legal approach being taken by the White House or the culpability of those investigated and already indicted, but it is apparent from his statements that the president takes personal umbrage at the idea that his victory was due to foreign interference and assistance," Mahaffee said.
