Is Trump one step closer to impeachment?

Steve Bannon, the architect of Trump’s triumph has struck a deal with special counsel Robert Mueller’s team and will be interviewed by prosecutors instead of testifying before the grand jury, according to CNN. He is expected to cooperate with the special counsel, said CNN quoting two sources who did not want to be named.

CNN further quoted the sources saying that the date of the interview has not been revealed yet.

This could be Bannon’s way of getting back at the President, for the humiliation heaped on him in the past few weeks.

Bannon, the former White House chief strategist for President Donald Trump, is expected to talk openly to Mueller’s team. Bannon’s attorney told the House Intelligence Committee on Tuesday that Bannon would answer questions when he goes to the special counsel because executive privilege would not apply, said CNN, quoting one of the sources.

A spokesman for the special counsel’s office of Robert Mueller declined to comment.

Last week, the FBI attempted to serve Bannon with a subpoena to appear before the grand jury in the Russia probe. He referred agents to his attorney, said CNN, quoting multiple sources.

What is a Grand jury?

The Grand Jury is a panel of citizens that is convened by a court to decide whether it is appropriate for the government to indict (proceed with a prosecution against) someone suspected of a crime[1].

An American institution since the colonial days, the grand jury has long played an important role in Criminal Law. The Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says that a person suspected of a federal crime cannot be tried until a grand jury has determined that there is enough reason to charge the person. Review by a grand jury is meant to protect suspects from inappropriate prosecution by the government, since grand jurors are drawn from the general population. It has been criticized at times as failing to serve its purpose.

Typically Grand Jury proceedings are not open to the public.

[1] Grand Jury – The Free Dictionary