Business Insider In addition to investigating Russia's interference in the 2016 election, the special counsel Robert Mueller is scrutinizing dozens of contacts between President Donald Trump's campaign and Russia. Trump and his surrogates have offered multiple, at times contradictory, explanations for those contacts. Over time, they have claimed the campaign never communicated with Russia, that the contacts did not amount to collusion, and that even if they did, collusion is not a crime. The special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election has so far produced 32 indictments, five cooperating witnesses, one conviction, and the seizure of $46 million in assets. Last week, Paul Manafort, the former chairman of President Donald Trump's campaign, pleaded guilty and began cooperating with the Russia probe.