Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein has appointed a Special Counsel–a.k.a., Special Prosecutor–to investigate Russian attempts to influence the U.S. election and any connections to the Donald Trump campaign.
The Special Counsel is former FBI director Robert Mueller, who was appointed by President Bush and continued to serve under President Obama. He is widely respected by both Republicans and Democrats.
The drama unfolds. . . .We had Special Prosecutors investigating Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton. Do you think this will end differently for President Trump?From Robert Mueller appointed special counsel to investigate any coordination between Russian government and Trump campaign associates – CBS News:
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein has appointed former FBI Director Robert Mueller to serve as special counsel to oversee the previously confirmed FBI investigation of Russian efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election and related matters.
“I have determined that a Special Counsel is necessary in order for the American people to have full confidence in the outcome,” Rosenstein said in a statement.
The letter announcing the appointment reads that Mueller is authorized to investigate “any links and/or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump; and…any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation.” . . .
Rosenstein’s letter announcing the appointment of Mueller says, “If the Special Counsel believes it is necessary and appropriate, the special counsel is authorized to prosecute federal crimes arising from the investigation of these matters.”. . .
Mueller was appointed FBI director in 2001 and served in the position until 2013. FBI directors are appointed to ten-year terms, but President Barack Obama added two years to his tenure.
A career prosecutor and veteran of the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, Mueller is a widely respected figure in Washington. He had been in private practice since 2014 at Wilmer-Hale, a Washington, D.C.-based law firm known for securities enforcement and white collar work.
[Keep reading. . .]
Photo of Robert Mueller by Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In